If I continue this way, will you love me?
by Superamazingpickles
Summary: He's the rich & attractive a-hole who owns a mall in the next town. She's a tomboy & barista for a coffee shop in his mall. The business goes bad and he threatens to shut it down but she fought back. He tries to hide his growing affection for her but a bad wish makes both of their lives a living hell. AU (ON HIATUS)
1. Pilot

** Full Summary: Kurosaki Ichigo is attractive, rich, and smart, but is also arrogant and eccentric. His success is being CEO of one of the biggest mall, Getsuga Enterprise, at only the age of 25. A tomboy named, Kuchiki Rukia, is a barista of Queen's Cup, a small coffee shop inside Getsuga Enterprise, but when business goes bad and Ichigo threatens to shut down her way of living, she challenges him which surprises him and makes him take an interest in her but he finds it confusing and disturbing. He tries to hide his growing affection for her, but gets caught up in a bad wish which makes it harder for the both of them.**

It always started out the same way. The vivid lighting made her suspicious to move forward. She felt almost claustrophobic as the red string around her seem to tie her down. There were so many knots and tangles she was tired of seeing the landscape. It always started out this way. No matter how many times she would try to untangle herself from the red string and unknot herself from the seemingly never ending maze she always ended up at the same spot again. The string will always be around her left wrist. When she thinks she has taken off the string, it happens to be right back on her wrist. She would see a silhouette on the other side of the tangled strings, but no matter how many times she would yell out to the person on the side, there was no reply. At first glance it seems like a nightmare because of the darkening mood, but as she keeps following the red string, the room lights up more and more, but dimly. The dream always ended the same way too. Her running up to the other side, almost reaching the silhouette, but blocked by more strings layered upon each other to be as strong as a wall and after this she will experience sleep paralysis. This dream, this reoccurring dream, happens once each month, but never on the same date as the month before.

"Rukia-chan," the bubbly voice said soothingly as she strokes Rukia's hair. It was no other than Hinamori Momo, Rukia's roommate, "are you having a bad dream again? I can tell by the sweat beads on your forehead." Momo puts her hand on sleeping Rukia's forehead. Rukia's brows knit together and Momo sighs.

"My little darling don't you cry," Momo sang to the sleeping Rukia, "Momo will sing you a lullaby. Remember you said Hisana-san sang that to you. I know you- KYAHHH!" Momo screamed and fell off the bed as Rukia suddenly jerked up from her sleep.

"Ah, Momo." Rukia raised her legs to her chest and put her hands on her face. She sighed quietly, "Sorry, I must've startled you, haven't I?"

"What were you doing? You scared me so much Rukia-chan," Momo sobbed climbing up the bed again. Rukia smiled at her overly-dramatic friend.

"You're lucky we only have a mattress. Or else you would've broken your nose or something stupid like that."

"Hey!" snapped Momo, she crossed her arms and pouted. Rukia giggled and headed to the bathroom. Momo got up slowly and tailed behind Rukia nervously playing with her fingers.

"Rukia-chan, you should consider working with me at the cosmetic store here in Karakura instead. I mean Tomi isn't that far from Karakura and it's nice to be in the city once in a while, but-. Wait, Rukia don't ignore me!" Momo cried as the bathroom door slammed shut in front of her. On the other side Rukia smiled inwardly to herself.

"Crazy girl. I wouldn't work here if it was my last option on Earth." Rukia reaches for her toothbrush and laughed when she heard the scoff as Momo's reply.

"Your manager is crazy Rukia-chan!" Momo stuck her tongue out at the door and skipped her way to the closet and changed.

* * *

"...And that's what we've produced for the mid-autumn event this year." Chairman Ishida Uryu gave to President Kurosaki Ichigo. Ichigo crossed his legs and swiveled his chair around and stared at the document.

"Is this the best you can do?" Ichigo asked and proceeded to intertwine his fingers and lay them on top of his desk, "Are you sure?"

Uryu took a step back, "Kurosaki last time..."

"Really? Last time I definitely didn't mean it. Did you hear the dismay in my voice last time?"

"Well..."

"Ishida, you should know better. We've known each other since high school. I'm disappointed. Go along and make some changes." Ichigo said tossing the paperwork to Uryu. Uryu glared at Ichigo while picking up the folder, pushed his glasses up, and turned to exit the room. Ichigo's cell phone suddenly rang and the contact name read, "crazy old man".

"Yes old ma-"

"IS THAT A WAY TO SPEAK TO YOUR FATHER!" the voice on the other line cried, "I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU MY-"

"Geez old man take a-"

"DON'T INTERRUPT DADDY LIKE THAT. WHO TAUGHT YOU TO BE SO RUDE?"

"Well you're the only who raised me."

"IT WAS RHETORICAL!" The voice proceed to sob violently. Ichigo inwardly sighed and was resisting the urge to throw his phone across the room.

"NOW ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE," he stopped and then there were light footsteps waddling up the stairs, "I've arranged a blind date for you this afternoon. Are you free?"

"Look as CEO of-"

"I'M GETTING OLD! IS MY SKIN GETTING SOFTER? AM I NOT SAGGING? MY SKIN IS SAGGING!" the cry grew more distant, "MOTHER! MOTHER MASAKI OUR SON IS OPPOSING THE BLIND DATES I'M SENDING HIM ON!"

"DAD!" Ichigo yelled to the phone. The atmosphere got really quiet and then followed by cries of Isshin and light footsteps coming towards the phone.

"Kuroki Senna. Her name is Kuroki Senna. She's daughter of Kuroki Daichi. She's a good girl. Please.. just make it work."

"Well I-"

"We all know I won't live that long. I've already passed half my life span. Ichigo, I just want to see you prosper. I have all my faith in you," Isshin sighed and hesitated, "and your step-mother is giving all her faith in you too. That is all. Bye son."

Ichigo placed his phone down and massaged the temples of his head. He sighed and placed his head on the table.

"Crazy old man. He thinks I care about her."

The door suddenly opened walking in the vice president, Hitsugaya Toshiro. Ichigo put his head up and glared at him. Toshiro responded with the same glare.

"Have you heard news of businesses going bad Kurosaki?" Toshiro leaned on the wall nearby Ichigo's desk.

"Cut the crap Toshiro."

"I've told you not to call me by that Kurosaki."

"Don't change the subject Toshiro."

"Ever heard of Queen's Cup?"

"Is it a top brand coffee shop?" Ichigo asked intertwining his fingers and placing them on top of his desk.

"No sir,"

"Is it a popular chain making millions?"

"No sir,"

"Then Toshiro, why'd you bring it up to us?" Ichigo placed his hand on his cheek and leaned on it and played with his pen he used to sign papers.

"Well, you've heard rumors of the stocks going down, haven't you?" Toshiro walked towards Ichigo as Ichigo's face turns to horror and he stops playing with the pen.

"Is it possibly,"

"No Kurosaki. Your stocks haven't gone down, don't you worry." Toshiro chuckles at the scared Ichigo and crosses his arm, "I'm talking about the coffee shop downstairs, you know the first one you see when you walk in."

"What, that's bull! I don't remember seeing any coffee shop."

"Explains your business well Kurosaki." Toshiro smirks. Ichigo sends Toshiro a dirty look as a comical little vein pops on Ichigo's forehead.

"What about that coffee shop."

"Well, business hasn't been so well for them lately. They haven't been up to par with what they usually had made and what they promised to make. Seems like they're making barely half of what they started with, and there has been a complaint filed on them."

"Shut them down."

"We tried," Toshiro massages his temples, "but I can't. They're such stubborn freaks. Especially that one girl."

"Why," Ichigo threw his hands up, "does it seem like I have to do everything around here?"

"You are the president," smirked Toshiro. Ichigo got up from his chair and shot Toshiro a glare.

He walked out of the door and passed the elevator. He doesn't take elevators. He won't take elevators. Ichigo goes down the escalator. 5 flights of escalators. Yes, his department store has 5 stories. Top floor being his office. It's deserving of its title as being one of the most successful malls around. Shop owners and his workers greet him. Everyone knows who he is. He's Kurosaki Ichigo, CEO of Getsuga Enterprise. He's also handsome and eligible. He was getting to the last flight of escalator when he bumped into a semi-petite girl with dark purple hair.

"Kyaak!" she screamed as Ichigo snatches her up. Smooth, because that's just how he is. Her big light brown eyes look up at his as he look away.

"Sorry." he said in English making the girl squeal.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," she put her shopping bags down and straightened her leopard print mini skirt and stuck her hand out to him, "I'm Kuroki Senna-chan," a little bow, "nice to meet you."

"And..?" Ichigo asked looking at the young woman puzzlingly. She crossed her arm and made a cute little frown at him.

"And I'm your future girlfriend," she links her arms around his arm, "your dad has set up this for us. Let's get going, I'm sure we both have busy schedules."

"Let's get this over with quick. I have work." Ichigo said and hurriedly speed walked to the parking lot with Senna behind him.

* * *

**~An hour before~**

"I'd like to have a caramel macchiato, medium, skim, extra shot, extra hot, extra whip, sugar free, more on the caramel, and use a light hand on the whipped cream." the annoying customer smiled at Rukia. The customer took out a mirror and face powder compact and powdered her face on the ordering counter.

"That's disgusting, do you mind?" Rukia snapped at the customer. The customer shot her a dirty look.

"Excuse you, I'm helping you poor unfortunate souls by ordering in this poor disgustingly maintenance store. You're not top brand and you have a tacky name, you should be lucky that I even came here to order." The customer tried to cutely pout as she reached into her purse and grabbed a light pink credit card. She set the card on the ordering counter and straightened her leopard mini skirt.

"Your order is a total of 10.50." Rukia glared at the customer.

"What?! Ugh whatever, this is totally cheap coffee anyways, do you have any idea who I am. When you find out I'm sure you'd change your attitude."

"Don't care, you're holding up the line." Rukia blew her bang and swiped the card, "Sign there to verify." she tossed a pen to the customer. The customer scoffed.

"This is exactly why I only go to top brand coffee shops, I shouldn't even be here." complained the customer, "I'm going to report this store right away, you disgusting people. I'm done with helping people like you."

Rukia rolled her eyes to the customer. The customer took out her phone and started to dial numbers like crazy.

She went to the "secret counter" where they make their "secret blend" of coffee. She placed the filter on top of a mini coffee pot and grabbed hot water to pour over the top. Rukia was considered one of the best barista in Queen's cup. Her manager, Renji, smiled at her.

"Tough customer?" he smirked as he handed her the whipped cream.

"More like needy annoying customer," groaned Rukia as she poured the coffee into the medium coffee cup. Renji chuckled.

"Do your best," he fist pumped, attempting to make her laugh. Instead what he got was a fake half smirk that she would do to not make people discouraged. He would know. Her sister was a former part-time worker here too, but not Rukia. Rukia's life was devoted here.

"Finished?" he asked her. She nodded as she finished the last touches of the coffee by adding extra, extra caramel. He gave her a slight pat on the back in which she responded with the same fake half smirk.

"Thanks manager." she said while going back to the ordering counter faced with the angry needy customer.

"Kuroki Senna. That's my name," she glared at Rukia, "I'm getting this place shut down and reporting you."

Rukia started to laugh which angered Senna even more angry. Rukia handed to coffee to Senna which she grabbed from Rukia and turned her back.

"You're funny. This place has been here for longer than 10 years. Have fun trying to shut it down." Rukia waved good-bye to Senna and helped with the next customer.

"Hey Rukia-chan, isn't she..." Matsumoto, one of Rukia's friend/Ichigo's worker asked point indirectly at Senna..

"The typical rich snob, why yes." Rukia rolled her eyes. Matsumoto laughed.

"Your insults are superior. I'll have a regular. Why so angry?"

"She's an idiot," Rukia said as she takes the customer's order to the coffee counter and Matsumoto follows her, "she threatened to shut down this place."

"Izuru, please watch out for a bit!" Matsumoto shouted to the blonde near the front of the coffee shop and turned to Rukia, "Ugh work here is so tiring, why don't you just work with Momo at Karakura? I mean it can't be that bad. Stop being a Debbie-Downer. I mean cosmetics makes every girl pretty."

"Work here is fine, we're not going to get shut down. This has been here for over 10 years. I'm not working in Karakura ever." Rukia walked back to the counter to give Matsumoto her cup of coffee.

"Geez, I'm just saying this isn't stable. I'm just worried about you Ruki-Ruki." Matsumoto said as she placed ten dollars on the counter, "You don't even get paid that much here too."

"I like it here. Thank you." Rukia snapped. Matsumoto chuckles lightly and Rukia takes the money. Matsumoto walks out with Izuru and Rukia sits down on her chair.

What she can't deny is that Matsumoto is right. She can easily get the job with Momo in Karakura. She can get more pays there. Queen's cup has limited employees which makes her work difficult. In the whole store, there were only six employees, including the manager and the owner. Except the owner was no longer alive and is now owned by the mall itself. The owner of Queen's cup was no other than her sister, Hisana. She owned the store and worked part time, because she was also a police officer. Rukia can't abandon this. This whole coffee shop is a part of her dreams. It's her sister's most loved achievement and one of the greatest memories she has.

"...HEY!" a short guy with white hair in a suit yelled at Rukia. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him blankly.

"Sorry, what was your order again?"

"My order is for you to pack your things and shut this coffee shop down." he said pointing to the whole coffee shop.

"Sorry, I don't think that's served here. If you want an order of that, please order elsewhere." Rukia replied sarcastically, which attracted Kusajishi Yachiru, the young and new co-worker.

"What's wrong Kuchiki-san?" Yachiru asks wiping her hands on her apron. Rukia glares at the white haired guy.

"Sorry, just a pest, no need to worry." Rukia got off her chair and straightened her apron. She's had enough of rich "know-it-alls" today.

"We've got a call asking complaining about your poor customer service. After analyzing your store, we have enough reasons to shut this down."

"That's crap. You can't do that in such a short amount of time."Yachiru chimed in. Rukia signaled her to go help the new customers.

"Like she said, that's way too fast you can't find out all our marketing and everything here that fast."

"Our staff is superior."

"Or unbiased. You haven't even heard our side of the story," Rukia challenged. She leaned closer on the counter, "who was in charge of this? Did someone pay you to kick us out?"

"What? That's outrageous. You work here at Getsuga Enterprise you should know how we-"

"No. I work at Queen's Cup. It's location just happens to be in Getsuga Enterprise." Rukia said crossing her arms and glaring at Toshiro.

"I'm the vice-president CEO of Getsuga Enterprise. We've seen that-"

"I don't frankly care even if you are the president coming here to kick us out. We're not leaving. This business have been here for over 10 years, you shouldn't kick us out just because of a customer complaint. Even if you want to kick our business off, " Rukia straightened her back, "you must have the president here to speak with us."

"He's busy."

"Busy? Oh yeah he's definitely busy. So busy he only comes to work on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

"Occasionally Sundays." Toshiro said back to her. She raised her eyebrows. That extra day made no effect on her argument.

"My point is,"

"Your point has no effect on us. Send the president here if he has complaints on our business." Rukia challenged.

"Very well. I'll send the president here." Toshiro said and he turned to leave but turned back around, "Miss, what's your name?"

"Kuchiki Rukia."

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

***AN:** I don't know Senna's last name and I don't think it was mentioned in Memories of Nobody. Sorry if I made the characters a little (or a lot) ooc and for making the writing awkward and noob-ish.


	2. The Story of Destiny Begins

***AN: **So, I think I did a bad job of describing Ichigo's track suit, here's a link to one that I based it off of.

w w w. deviantart art / That-quot-Blue-Training-Suit-quot-202527304

**THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE POSITIVE REVIEWS!**

It made me so happy to hear what you guys think of my story. I also really appreciate the constructive criticism. I hope I can meet your expectations with my story. (シ_ _)シ -bows down-

* * *

"Ichigo, slow down, you're dragging me!" Senna whined. Ichigo stopped for a brief moment and leaned down to Senna's shoulder to smell her.

"Kyaa! Pervert, what are you doing to me?!" Senna cried as she pulled Ichigo in closer to her. Ichigo pushed her back trying to loosen her grip on him.

"I was wondering what the strange smell was," Ichigo grimaced at Senna, "but it was just your taste in perfume."

Senna gasped and yanked her grip on Ichigo and walked off in front of him.

"Oh and on another note, if you didn't want to be dragged like that, you should've done that earlier. It would have made you seem smarter too." Ichigo proceeded to walk past and faster than Senna leaving her behind him and desperately trying to catch up.

* * *

"Ichigo-kun, you're so handsome." Senna swooned as the waitress set down their platter of delicacy cake and imported tea. Ichigo chuckles as he takes a sip of his tea.

"I know," he set down the cup of tea as his gaze gets aloof, "how can one be so handsome? I wonder if people get nervous while talking to me."

Senna puts her hand over her mouth and giggles cutely and as she finishes, she cuts a piece of the cake for them.

"My view on marriage," she says as she places the cake down on Ichigo's plate, "is that I don't believe in marrying someone without loving them. I know our marriage will be based on social class, but if it's one without love, I am not interested."

"So you're saying that you don't want an arranged marriage."

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean." she takes a bite of her cake and elegantly sips her tea.

"Well, aren't you stupid." Ichigo said in a "matter-of-fact" tone. Senna spits out her tea at his remark.

"W-what?"

"So you're saying that you are willing to not care and give up social status, wealth, and the lifestyle for a guy who's a good kisser?"

"No... Well-"

"If you're the type of girl who's willing to throw everything away for that knight who kisses you and abandon the prince on a white horse who can provide for you, then, I too, am not interested." Ichigo says as he gets up and fixes his tie, getting ready to leave.

"Wait, you've heard of love at first sight, right? Well I have fall-"

""That's an extremely naive thing to say. Despite your social class, it seems like you're still the typical girl for your age," he got up and left, but turned around to say his final words to her,"by the way, if a guy tells you that he's fallen for you at first sight, punch him. It's his way of saying he wants to cut the crap and get down to business."

"Wait, don't go yet! Ichigo!" Senna yelled. She tried to catch up to him but stood there gaping when Ichigo tried to out walk her to his car and suddenly drove off.

* * *

"Hey Toshiro, what's the name of the coffee place again?" Ichigo asked while driving. His nice car has a device that lets him hook up his phone so he can use the speakers to talk while driving. He has all his important speed dials automatically built in (it's just Toshiro and his doctor).

"Kurosaki, I told you-"

"Yeah, yeah whatever. What was the name of the coffee shop again?"

"Queen's cup. I've already told you that."

"Yeah, I know, but it's not a name that latches onto one's brain."

"Don't act like you got one."

"Would you like to get fired, To-shi-ro?!" Ichigo stressed out the syllables of Toshiro's name to annoy him and smiled when he heard Toshiro's scoff through the phone.

"That sounds like a nice escape from you and your unfinished work."

"Why you little-"

"Kuchiki Rukia."

"What? That's kind of random. Who's she, your girlfriend?"

"I can't believe you're the one who owns Getsuga Enterprise, "Toshiro lightly face-palms, "She's the one who you're suppose to talk to. Judging by her feisty attitude, she's probably the manager."

"Thanks, now what's her name again?"

"Ugh really you, it's Kuchiki Rukia. It's quite an uncommon name so it should be more easy to remember."

"Yeah. Bye." Ichigo hung up and drove to the direction of his house.

* * *

"Queen's Cup... Queen's Cup..." Ichigo whispered to himself as he entered his mall. He dressed in a sparkly blue track suit that has a hood and a zipper that is able to zip up all the way to his chin. He zipped up the zipper and pulled the hood up so nobody will be able to recognize him.

_That's good_, he thinks to himself, _if they know that the president of Getsuga Enterprise wrongly shut down a store, we'll get a bad name, and the stocks will go down. Lord, thinking about this makes me shudder._

He stands in front of a coffee shop that had a pale icy white but a hint of pale blue sign that read, Queen's Cup, in an elegant font. The sign had fake frost on it which Ichigo inwardly complimented the design of the sign.

_I'm sure that this is the place_, he sighs to himself and walks in, _please be the right place_. The coffee shop seemed almost empty except for a couple sitting in a booth at the far left near the second register, and off center from the register in front of him. As he walked closer to the register in front of him, he sees a pink haired girl, who seemed to be no older than 16-18.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat to catch her attention. She blankly ignored him.

_So it is true, the customer service here is quite poor. This place won't live up to Getsuga's name._

"Excuse me." he said before hearing the girl snore loudly with her mouth open.

"Kusajishi-san! Why are you sleeping on the job again?!" barked a short haired petite girl about a tad bit smaller than the adolescent worker. The pink haired girl, Kusajishi Yachiru, flung herself awake and off her chair.

"Kuchiki-san, I wasn't sleeping this time! I was just resting my eyes!" Yachiru yawned loudly before bowing down apologetically to the dark haired girl, Rukia.

_Kuchiki... ahh, she must be the manager Toshiro was talking about! Alright, you got this Ichigo._ He tried to muster the meanest scowl , but Rukia flat out ignored him.

"Really you," Rukia sighed and shook her head, " Kusajishi-san, go home. You need to rest and study for your exams tomorrow."

"But, Kuchiki-san, I haven't even completed enough of my hours this month to get paid!"

"I'll cover for you." Rukia said as she usher Yachiru to go and change. Yachiru's face lit up with appreciation.

"Ah thank you so much Kuchiki-san!" Yachiru bowed and skipped to the back of the room.

In the corner of Ichigo's eye, he can see a red-head cleaning a table and staring intently at him. He ignored the guy and focused his attention on Rukia, which she turned to him and smiled.

"Sorry, I apologize on her behalf," she slightly bowed down to him, "she's a newbie and a student so please forgive her. What would you like to order?"

"I-I'd like to order you." he blurted out. Rukia looked at him with a shocked expression.

"Um.. w-what?"

_Shit, shit, shit. That certainly did not come out the way I intended it to. Goddammit Ichigo, you should've rehearsed this or something._

"Like I want to talk with only you ! Alone, together!" he panicked and shouted a little too loudly. The red-head from the other side of the room started coming closer to Ichigo and Rukia which made Ichigo more anxious.

"E-excuse me! I'm on my shift right now!"

"You're Kuchiki Rukia right? Right now I have an important discussion to discuss with you." he grabbed her hand and she responded with yelping and pulling her hand back. The red head was at least half way towards the room, which is very close to them now. Ichigo opened the "employee only" gate and grabbed Rukia's wrist.

"I'm a busy person, it'd be more appropriate to discuss the situation somewhere else. I'm sorry, it's urgent." he said to her dragging her along by the wrist as she protests and yells at him.

"Hey you can't take her," The red-head yelled chasing after them, "she's my employee!"

"Sorry!" Ichigo yelled back in English as he drags her into his car and stuffs her in the backseat.

* * *

After what seemed like hours of her yelling and protesting, Ichigo finally got her out of the car and into the opening of a private coffee cafe in the middle of a resort owned by his family.

"Are you crazy? Who the hell are you?!" she yelled at him and yanked her arm away from his grip. He took of his hood and loosened the zipper. She gave him a dirty look and he answered by scowling at her.

"Are you stupid? Do you not know how to respond," she yelled at him, which made him flinch and step back, "you dragged me here in the middle of nowhere, during my shift! This is kidna-"

"Do.. do you not recognize me? I mean my disguise wasn't that great."

"What?"

"This face," he pointed to himself, "do you not know who I am?"

Rukia looked at him dumbfounded as he let out a sigh. Ichigo threw his hands up and walked away a few feet and walked back to the dumbfounded Rukia.

"How.. Why... Do I look more familiar now?" he asked as he pulled down the zipper of his track suit a bit.

"Are you... ok? Do you want me to call the doctor or something?" Rukia took out her cell phone, getting ready to dial the numbers.

"Are you a foreigner? Tell me you're not from Japan! How do you not know me?" He begins to shout and pace around her like a mad-man throwing his hands up occasionally.

"I think I'm going to contact the doctor." She dialed the number and as she was doing so, Ichigo grabbed her phone and she shouted at him.

"It's Kurosaki Ichigo!"

"Kuro-what? I've never met you before, give me back my phone, I'm calling the doctor. I think you need help!" she reached for the phone but Ichigo raised it higher due to his height advantage. She stopped reaching for her phone and gave him a dirty look.

"I'm the president of Getsuga Enterprise. I have heard from my vice-president that you'd like to have a word with me." he said lowering his arm and handing her the phone, "I'm her to talk about your business."

Rukia's eyes turned as big as saucers when she heard his last words and Ichigo grinned from ear to ear at her expression.

* * *

"As we can see here," he tossed some papers to Rukia, "that you guys are making an average of 15,000 per month," he got out more papers as Rukia looked at the previous graphs, "and here shows your business from a couple of years ago flourishing, making at least 150,000 to 200,000 a month, being one of the most popular attraction in my mall."

"Well it's-" Rukia started, but was stopped abruptly by Ichigo.

"Excuse me Kuchiki Rukia-san, but this month you guys had promised to bring your business up and make at least 50,000, but you're making less than half of what you have promised. Doesn't this say something about your business?"

"Well Kurosa-" Rukia began, but was flat out ignored by Ichigo, once again.

"We also had a report of bad customer service from our VIP Getsuga Enterprise member. I have also dealt with unprofessionalism today when I entered your shop. Your employee wasn't even awake to deal with incoming customers. Your bills and rent are many months overdue and I've come to a conclusion that your coffee shop is no longer up to Getsuga standards."

"Excuse me Kurosaki-san, but-"

"I'm right, aren't I, Ku-chi-ki?" Ichigo leans closer to Rukia and smirks at her. The glare she was giving him was boring a hole through his skull.

"Rude," she started and Ichigo jumped back, surprised, "and unprofessional. Interrupting your client when she has plenty to say. Rude and disrespectful. Are you sure you're the president for Getsuga Enterprise? Or did that lazy excuse for a president sent you here to threaten me?"

The blood drained from his face.

"W-what did you just say about me?" he questioned blinking with a stunned expression.

"You heard me, or are you deaf and I have to repeat myself several times?"

"Hey!"

"We're making less than half of what we're supposed to. That doesn't affect your business mall now does it Kurosaki-san? Plus we wouldn't have this problem of decreasing customers if your mall did a better job at attracting more customers. Our coffee shop has been around for more than a decade, even before you owned the mall. Our business has always been steady and stable, never making too much, but never making too little. It seems that ever since you owned the mall, customers have been decreasing. So it's not only our problem, but yours too since you can't do very well on attracting people to shop at your mall." Her voice full of venom shot at him.

"That doesn't explain your unpaid bills and rent." Ichigo shot back at her. Rukia's face turned into horror as Ichigo inwardly smile.

"Yes, don't act unaware of the fact that you have not paid the rent fee of using Getsuga Enterprise as your location," he smiled and shrugged his shoulders at her as she looked at him with horror and disgust. Nobody ever mentioned to her about skipping bill payments.

"Water bill, electricity bill, rent, all of this has been unpaid for at least 5 months. It's so sad to see you've not paid. Your business even gets extra discount because we co-own, your shop. How irresponsible," Ichigo leaned in towards Rukia's ear and whispered, "am I right, manager?"

Rukia blinked at him. He just said...

"Manager?" Rukia asked slowly raising her eyebrows at him.

"Oh, are you so stupid you forgot your position?"

"Did you think I was the manager of Queen's Cup?" Rukia pointed to herself slowly and Ichigo nodded. Rukia suddenly busted out laughing. Ichigo stares at her horrified and confused.

"You really thought that I was," -laugh, laugh-, "the manager?! Lord, I can't believe you." She clutched her stomach and placed her head on the table and laughed uncontrollably.

"Hey, are you not? Hey! Answer me!" He tapped on the laughing Rukia's head, "Are you seriously not? Hey! Stop laughing at me! It's not even that funny." he stood up and shook the laughing Rukia by her shoulders as tears rolled down her eyes.

"The red- head, that guy is the manager."

"The.. red.. head?" Ichigo questioned.

** "Hey you can't take her," The red-head yelled chasing after them, "she's my employee!"**

"Augh really.." Ichigo groaned as he sat back down and placed his head on the table in disappointment. This triggered Rukia to laugh again.

"You tricked me!" He stood up immediately pointing a finger at Rukia accusingly. She stopped laughing and glared at him.

"Me?"

"Yeah, you! You should've stopped said you weren't the manager!"

"Did you ask me if I was the manager? All you asked was if I was Kuchiki Rukia."

"Well, you should have said, 'Oh really, I'm sorry extremely handsome customer, I am in fact not the manager, but a mere worker.' or something along those lines!" he cried at her. The servants around them stared at the two. Ichigo paced back and forth along his chair and Rukia's chair mumbling gibberish to himself.

"You, sir, dragged my hand and took me out. I yelled at you and you still ignored me so it made no difference." Rukia said in a "matter-of-fact" tone. Ichigo took his chair and sat next to Rukia in dismay. She looked at him and sighed. Right then Ichigo's phone rang and the contact name read, "annoying midget". He picked up and gave Rukia a "shh" sign.

"Hey, I should really go now. President."

"Shhhh." he hissed with his index finger on his lip.

_"Was that the Kuchiki girl?" _

"No, Toshiro, that was uh.. hey!" He yelled as Rukia took the phone away from Ichigo's ear.

"Hello, were you the vice-president from earlier," Rukia gave Ichigo a smug look, "your president here has messed up apparently and switched me up with the manager. Either way, he says he won't shut down our business. Thanks, have a nice day." she hung up and gave the phone back to Ichigo, who had on the most shocked expression.

"Did you just take my phone?"

"Would you like me to do it again?"

"How about you meet my lawyer," Ichigo stood up and face palmed and turned to her, "I bet it's something you can't afford!"

"Cool. I'm leaving now, I still need to finish my shift." Rukia stood up and was about to go when Ichigo grabbed her wrist and stood up too.

"Let go of me."

"I'll take you back." Ichigo said quickly and Rukia raised an eyebrow at him, "I mean like, it's the middle of nowhere, there isn't a bus here or anything." he chuckled nervously.

"I can find my way back." she yanked her arm from his grip and walked ahead of him. He ran up to her and grab her wrist again.

"Please, it's to make it up for earlier. I was being rude." He smiled cheekily at her. Rukia let out a disgusted scoff.

"You should've thought twice earlier," she twisted her hand from his grip and glared at him when she couldn't get her hand out, "let go!"

"Then let me take you home."

"Hey, do you wanna die?" she threatened. Ichigo shrugged his shoulders at her. She responded back by kicking his shin. He groaned in pain and clutched his shin.

"You crazy, hey," he yelled, clutching his shin and stumbling to catch up to her to which she walks faster, "You're definitely meeting my lawyer. Hey, get in the car!" he cried to her as she walked past his car and continued to ignore him.

"Hey! Don't ignore me! You won't get home from here it's the middle of the forest!" he yelled to her. She stopped to turn around and raised her eyebrow. Ichigo stumbles against her and smile beckoning her to his car.

"Sorry, but I don't want to be seen with someone who wears such a tacky tracksuit. Do all rich people dress like you?" she eyed him up and down.

"Ugh. I can't believe I have to explain this," he unzips the zipper and squats to her level to show her the label, "so as you can see, by the name that, aha, this was not made in Japan."

He takes off the jacket and shoves it at Rukia to hold, but she looked at the jacket and back at Ichigo.

"Look, it's not like I let people touch my clothes, just feel it," He touches the fabric and flipped the jacket to where the label was sticking out for her to hopefully see," this was made by a German tailor who sewn this by hand, one-by-one that is why this- hey! Don't ignore me come back!"

Rukia walked off ignoring Ichigo's cry.

"I told you, I'll give you a ride home!"

"No thanks, I have a cell phone, I can contact someone." she continued to walk off. Ichigo stood behind her, near his car as he watched her walk farther and farther away from him.

Kuchiki Rukia is the first woman to ever reject his offer of taking her home.

"Crazy girl." he chuckles and gets into his car.


	3. Partnership

"Why'd you call me up here?" obviously pissed off Rukia slammed her hands onto the president's desk.

"Careful little woman, this desk is expensive!" Ichigo scooted Rukia's hands off and wiped off the parts she touched.

"Did you just called me 'little woman'?"

"Why? Are you claiming that you're tall?" "

You little," Rukia raised her fist to Ichigo as he shot out a hand, ready to block her attack.

"I got my lawyer on speed dial!" he threatened to her and Rukia scoffed.

"Kurosaki, I really need to work. Unlike you."

"Hey, I do work!"

"Sure you do."

"I told that red head of yours that I needed to talk with you and if he added more hours or deducted money from you because I took you away, I'd fire him." "

What?" Rukia looked at him with a slightly surprised face. He smiled at her sweetly.

"Anyways, I'd like to help both of our businesses, but I will also need your cooperation."

"Wouldn't it be easier to talk with the manager instead of me?"

"No," Ichigo leaned closer to Rukia, "I want your help. Not Mr. Red head guy."

"Why would you want my help?"

"Because Rukia-chan, you came up with a brilliant idea that I was going to think of."

"Don't call me that."

"Feel free to call me Ichigo-chan," she grimaced at his suggestion, "well since we're both in need of more customers, I'd decided we'd help each other out and attract more customers."

"You want help from me, the coffee shop employee, not the manager, but employee."

"You stole my idea of attracting customers. Well you brought the idea up anyways." he shrugged his shoulders at her. Rukia groaned and placed her hands on her temples. She let out a big sigh and crossed her arms.

"This is a trick isn't it? Where are the hidden cameras? Kurosaki-"

"Ichigo." He interrupted her.

"Don't you dare interrupt me." She pointed an accusing finger at him.

"Sorry," he got out of his chair and walked over to her, "but really Rukia, I need your help."

"If this is a prank, you're dead."

"From the bottom of my heart to the top of my esophagus, I promise you it's not a joke Kuchiki Rukia." when he said that, he looked at her straight in the eyes. She looked at him with the same intensity, but broke away quickly and focused on the non-existent person to his right.

"Fine, but we need some guarantee."

"Go for it."

"If I help you, we'll get more workers."

"Fine. I'll help advertise," Ichigo shrugged his shoulders, "but what are you gonna do for me?" "

I'm obviously helping you."

"That helps the both of us."

"Then I'm not gonna help you." Rukia smirked smugly as Ichigo gives her a dirty look and returns to his seat.

"Since we're basically trusting each other, let's call each other by our first name."

"No."

"Then I'm not helping you." he imitated her way of words.

"Hey!" Rukia yelled at him and Ichigo imitated her face.

"Fine," she crossed her arms, "how much do we owe you?"

"For your fees? It's quite overwhelming, so I will spare you Rukia."

"Just tell me."

"That's all I need of you today. We'll meet again tomorrow."

"Hey, tell me the fees we owe right now!" she demanded. Ichigo chuckled. "No Rukia, get out of my office."

"I refuse to leave here until you tell me how much we owe you." She crossed her arms defiantly. Ichigo inwardly smiled and gave himself a pat on the back.

"Alright, I don't mind your accompany," Ichigo placed his feet on top of his desk, "shall I call the red head and tell him that you won't be going back to your workplace today?" he smiled at her. Rukia rolled her eyes and scoffed. She pivoted and walked off away from him.

"Hey! I thought you wanted to stay?! I didn't even tell you your fees yet, come back!" he cried while running after her. She opened the door and slammed it in front of him.

"Kyaaaa noooo!" A slightly high pitched scream was heard.

"Rukia!" Ichigo cried and pulled open the door to reveal Senna and Rukia. Senna stood there with coffee spilled all over herself and Rukia on the floor.

"Look at what you did to me! You ruined my outfit! Ichi-kun," Senna grabbed confused Ichigo's arm, "this girl ruined my new outfit I wore just for you!"

"Ichi-kun?" Ichigo confusingly looked at her. Rukia stood up and angrily turned to Senna and Ichigo.

"Ah, now that I take a closer look, you're just that girl from yesterday." Senna frowned at Rukia and held onto Ichigo's arm tighter. Rukia raised her eyebrow at the other girl's sudden action.

"Do I know you?"

"Don't you dare lie," Senna looked at Ichigo with fake doll-like innocent eyes, "Ichi-kun, she's the girl I reported yesterday. Is her business shut down yet? She's so rude."

"Tch," Rukia stepped closer to Senna, "were you the one who filed that phony complaint?"

"Ichi-kun, she's doing it again!" Senna hid her head in Ichigo's arms as Rukia scoffed at the pair.

"Kuroki-san, this is my business partner." Ichigo nudged Senna off. Rukia glared at Senna.

"Ichi-kun, she makes me uncomfortable. I feel uneasy being in the same room as someone who's in such a low class," She twirled her hair and tugged Ichigo's arm, "but if you take me to lunch, I'll forget that you'd ever talked to her."

"Sure," He shrugged his shoulders at Rukia and walked off with a squealing Senna. Rukia sneered at the two.

"Stupid rich ass good for nothing pair. I hope you both trip."

* * *

"...and it happened just like that! I know I also feel sorry for myself. She's so delinquent like and manly. Is she even a girl? Come to think of it-" Senna blabbered on swinging her fork in the air.

"Are you close with Rukia?" "

W-why?" Senna set down her fork slowly. Ichigo tossed her his phone.

"I need the number."

"M-my number?"

"No, Rukia's number, but if you can't provide it," he reached his hand out to Senna, "I want my phone back."

"What?! Why would you want her number? She's the one bothering me yesterday! I bet this is all her fault. Did she use black magic on you?"

"I have decided that since Rukia and I are going to be business partners, I'll need her phone so it'll be easier to contact her." Ichigo motioned for Senna to give him the phone back. She furiously punched in numbers into Ichigo's phone and handed it back to him.

"Since I'm already sort of like your girlfriend, I think I deserve to have a place in your phone."

"Sorry."

"Ichi-kun, it's only a matter of time before-"

"My dad's a bad influence on you isn't he? Did he tell you to say such things?"

"Dad? Your mom called me to come here." Senna picked up her fork and began to stab into a broccoli, unaware of Ichigo's face dropping. He chuckled bitterly.

"Kuroki-san, if you're trying to win my heart," he lifted her chin up with his hand. Surprised, Senna dropped her fork and stared at him wide-eyed.

"Is this the best you can do? Are you sure?" with that being said, he dropped his hand and got out of his seat.

"Ichi-kun, where are-"

"I forgot I already have an appointment today, but since you caught me off guard, this is the best I can do. Oh, by the way, it's ok for you to eat and order as much as you'd like. Bill it to the manager of this restaurant. It's my restaurant anyways so I'll take care of it." He turned and left behind a shocked Senna who just sat there dumbfounded, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

* * *

"Peeling chestnuts, 5 cents per chestnut, 20,000 chestnuts to make 100," Rukia furiously scribbled into her notebook, "delivering bread, 6 dollars an hour," she slammed her head on the ordering counter.

" Monthly pay 1,000. Rent, 150, water bill. 200, electricity bill, 150. 350 to keep this place running. 150 at the end of this month. 2,000 in bank." Rukia sighed deeply and ruffled her hair angrily. She sat in fetal position and let out a muffled scream.

"Ku-kuchiki-san?" Yachiru nudged Rukia. Rukia looked up at her younger co-worker and slowly let herself go from fetal position. Yachiru glomped Rukia.

"Sorry Kuchiki-san. I'm so sorry! I made you work my position yesterday and you're already working extra hard," she sobbed intensely. Renji, who just entered the room with a box full of coffee beans, smiled at the two. He went back to his work and started to carry the box to the back.

"Kusajishi-san, it's really ok."

"No! You're going crazy now!"

"C-crazy?" a comical sweat drop appeared on Rukia's forehead.

"Yes, You're mumbling to yourself. You even forgot to steal Manager Renji's snacks for me! The ones in his-" Rukia covered Yachiru's mouth with her hands and Renji turned around. She lowered them on the floor so they won't be in sight of Renji.

"Shhh. I forgot Kusajishi-san, sorry. I'll get you snacks ok?" Yachiru nodded and Rukia took her hands off of her mouth. Rukia stood up quickly and looked the room for the manager.

"Thank you Kuchiki-san. I love you!" Yachiru yelled to her, but she suddenly looked at Rukia with surprised eyes.

"Just watch and make sure that manager isn't- OOF!" Rukia back's bumped into somebody. She quickly turned to apologize and found out, that somebody was Renji.

"Did you plan to ditch work Kuchiki?" he crossed his arms at her. She bowed down in apology.

"That's sad, I was about to ask if you wanted to go to Cayenne's concert." he faked frowned at her. Rukia's face lit up.

"Cayenne? As in the singer Cayenne? My Cayenne?"

"Ahh, but too bad, Kuchiki-san would rather ditch out on her hard work and ruin her chance of going to Cayenne's concert."

"Sorry," she bowed down and smiled, "but it was nice to know that I would've gone to see Cayenne sing."

"I was joking with you! I got an extra ticket, so I want you to go with me. You've been working extra hard this month so let's go." he grinned at her. Rukia's face lit up like a little kid.

"If you trick me I'll break your back old man!"

"Do you want me to not take you?"

"Manager Renji, how about me?" Yachiru cried from the register. Renji and Rukia turned back to the sulking teenager.

"You need to stop stealing my snacks."

* * *

"I've decided to lessen your dosage on your pills," Retsu Unohana, Ichigo's doctor, placed a pill bottle on his table, "you seem to be improving Ichigo."

"Thanks Retsu-sensei." he took the pill bottle and examined the label.

"I heard that you went on a blind date. How'd that go?"

"Did my old man blabber to you again? I'll kick his ass if he did." Ichigo closed his eyes and faked his angriness. Unohana giggled.

"I see, still holding a grudge against him. No, I have my ways Ichigo. Word goes around quick anyways. Do you still avoid tunnels and elevators?"

Ichigo didn't answer her for a long time. Mostly because he wanted to ignore the question.

"I take that as a no."

"Shut up. You're not certain of it anyways," he said.

"I see, I see. You're all big and 'grown up' now Ichigo." Unohana laughed at what she said as if it was the most comical thing ever.

"I don't plan on visiting her this year." Ichigo quietly says. There was a silence between the two.

"Go."

"What?"

"Show her what a fine young man you've become. Bow to her, next to your step-mother. Your mom is a kind and forgiving woman, she would know and understand you. She's always been that way. Oh and," Unohana-sensei hesitated, "when you were gone for college, you haven't visited once. She must've been lonely."

"Please don't bring that up." he said. There was a long and awkward silence between the two. Unohana broke the silence by sighing loudly and getting up from her seat. "I'll be leaving now Ichigo. When you visit your mother, please tell her I've been doing well."

"Yeah." he stared off into space, not bothering to look at Unohana in the eyes.

"Bye-bye Ichigo-chan. I better not hear of you overdosing your pills," she gave him a deathly smile/glare in which he sweat dropped, "ah, and I heard that Kaien is coming back into town. Are you going to attend his concert?"

"I wouldn't go even if he paid me to."

* * *

***AN: **Sorry for the slightly shorter chapter TT^TT

I just can't stick with one idea and I really want to make a good chapter for you guys.

Great job to SvetlanaSparkle for being the first one to spot that this was based on Secret Garden.

Thank you to all of you who review~ Your positive reviews are my motivation!


	4. Miniature Breakdown

_I hear a voice, but I can't answer it. It's calling for me, I can hear it clearly, but I can't move a muscle. I'm trying to say something, but nothing comes out. It feels as if my body is betraying me, but I want to reach it. I want to help it, but my body won't move. Why does my body feel so heavy? I need to help that person. I don't know who it is, but I feel as if that person needs my help. I can hear it's voice; although it's not that loud, I know it's calling out to me, but it's fading away now. It's slowly getting smaller. Small to the point that I can't hear that voice anymore. It will be gone for a while. It always disappears for a while._

* * *

Rukia walks out of Getsuga Enterprise completely exhausted. She wipes the sweat off of her forehead with her grey sweater. Two more days until the Cayenne concert. She inwardly squeals. The time is currently 2:15 a.m. and the streets bustled with drunk people and taxis driving those drunkards home. The bus had already stopped it's route and Momo was probably already sleeping. Days like this were the days Rukia walked home alone, but that didn't bother her. She's used to being alone. Rukia sighed loudly and decided to make the walk home more enjoyable, so she observed the people around her. Ah, there was a drunk girl, completely wasted and unaware and there's a guy. Wait, was the guy tailing the girl? Rukia knitted her brows together and followed the guy and wasted girl.

**_He better not do what I think he's going to do. I don't think he's drunk or her boyfriend, _**She picked up the pace so that she was trailing behind the both of them and observed the guy at the distance she was at, **_I knew he's sober._**

He did what Rukia imagined, took the wasted girl's purse and ran.

"Kyaa!" the girl cried, "Somebody! My purse, it's like -hic- really expensive!"

"I'll get it, stay right here!" Rukia ran after the guy. She was sure she had heard that voice from somewhere. She had chased him for a few blocks before noticing him slowing down and caught up to him.

"Hey man, there's better way of making money than stealing a woman's purse!" she cried to the guy. He turned around to see the petite girl nearing him and gave her a look of distaste. He picked up his speed and she struggled to keep up behind him.

**_Godammit, I need to work out. Wait is that? Heh, you're such a dumb thief._**

He had a disadvantage that Rukia didn't. She smirked to herself and pulls onto his hood. He was pulled back and slammed onto the floor by the smaller girl. His weight advantage got him to get up faster and knock her down. He was ready for the run, but Rukia's faster reflexes got her to grab onto his leg which resulted to him falling face first onto the cement. She took the opportunity and crawled up near him to pin his arm to his back and he howled in pain.

"Give it."

"Shut the fuck up bitch."

Rukia held his arm down with her leg and proceeded to grab his other arm that carried the purse. He wailed even louder.

"Bitch? You dare call me a bitch? Do you want your arms to be broken off? Maybe it'll stop you from robbing," she kneed onto his arms making him cry in pain, "I'm calling the police and taking that purse back." Rukia took out her phone and dialed the emergency number. He fussed around under her trying to get up. She rolled her eyes and used her free hand to knock him out. She hit him a couple more times to make sure he was out cold before getting off of him.

"Hello, I'm reporting an attempted robbery... No, I have caught the thief and would be willing to stay here until you come to bring justice. Ah yes. Yes," she looked at the man who was stirring around as if he was about to regain conscious and she kicked him on the head and proceeded to knock him out again, "thanks."

* * *

"Ah, miss here, I got it back!" Rukia cried as she hopped out of the police car and ran towards the girl, "I also caught the guy."

The girl turned around and was no other than Senna. Rukia stopped in her tracks as she heard the police car driving off.

"You again!" Senna pointed a finger to Rukia. Rukia juts out her head and pointed to herself.

"M-me again? That's my line."

"Why'd you do that," Senna blubbered loudly, "I hate you so much. Why is that I keep seeing you?"

She came over to Rukia and took the purse away and continued to bawl hard.

"You could've just let him -hic- take it away, what the hell is wrong with you? Why the hell do you keep putting -hic- your nose in my business."

"Well, you were drunk, any sane person would've helped you!"

"I'm not drunk you -hic- dumb coffee waitress! I'm sober! I hiccup when -hic- I cry."

"Oh," Rukia awkwardly looked at her feet, "but I can't let someone take a girl's purse and run. You must have had important things in there. You also looked pretty drunk and unaware, sorry."

"What the hell did you do to my boyfriend?!"

"Your 'boyfriend' and I have nothing going on."

"Then why does he keep seeing you? What -hic- did you do to him, ever since you came into the picture, he -hic- hasn't been the same!"

"Are you sure you're not drunk?"

"I'm not drunk!" Senna screamed and Rukia took a step back from the crying girl, "I'm just filled up with -hic- such sadness! You brainwashed my boyfriend!"

"Look here, I'm not trying to hit on your boyfriend or anything. So you don't have to worry about me. We're just business partners."

"Out of the two days he and I have known each other-"

"Two days?" Rukia gave Senna a 'wtf' look. Senna gave her a disgusted look as if she can't comprehend why Rukia gave her that look.

"Why the hell are you so fucking surprised? Is this not poor people standard?" Senna crossed her arms and hiccupped. Rukia scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Are you fucking stupid? Do you think life's a fairytale?" Rukia lectured Senna in disbelief. Senna's mouth dropped.

"Did you just called me stupid?"

"Can you not listen? Look dumbass, just because you see a guy that is hot-"

"See! You think my boyfriend's hot! You dirty skank! I knew you want to take him away from me!"

"Is that a habit of you rich people? Do you like to interrupt people in the middle of speaking? I guess being born with a silver spoon in your mouth didn't teach you manners."

"You-" Senna raised her hand to slap Rukia, but Rukia's faster reflexes caught Senna's hand.

"I was saying, just because you think he's attractive doesn't mean anything. Do you think this game of life is as easy as a fairytale? Do you think you'll live happily ever after when you marry him? Will all your problems be solved? Do you think he's some kind of prince on a white horse? Think again, he's an inconsiderate ass to you. I've observed you guys once and I'm able to figure that out. You seem like a smart person. Why waste your time on a guy like him?" Rukia tossed Senna's hand away and walked off.

"Hey! Come back here! Hey," Senna shouted to the girl who walked off and ignored her cries, "don't fucking leave me here! Don't say that about Ichi-kun either!"

* * *

Ichigo strolled forward through his backyard garden as he breathed in the fresh air of flowers. The sun felt so welcoming as it hit his skin. Today was a day he'd spend away from work. Maybe it was because of the weather, but he'd just have Toshiro take care of his work... like usual. Ichigo smiled as he made his way down the garden. In the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a petite figure. Ichigo turned quickly and the figure seemed to disappear.

_I'm doing it again._

"Why do I keep thinking about you?" he asked aloud. The petite figure dressed in Queen's Cup's uniform appeared right in front of him. Ichigo pinched himself, but the figure didn't disappear. Instead she smiled at him.

"I know you're not the real thing. Crazy, I haven't known her for long," Ichigo continued to stroll as the girl followed him, "but I know she wouldn't smile like that. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her smile before, but that's because I've only met her for a day."

He turned to the person that he had imagine was her. She blinked at him and gave him a dainty pout. He smiled slightly.

"My ideal woman has a bust of 36," he turned to imaginary Rukia and eyed her up and down, "You obviously don't."

Imaginary Rukia blinked her big puppy eyes and gave a small sad pout. Ichigo hit his head several times.

"I'm sorry. Wait- why am I apologizing to you?! You're not even the real deal."

Imaginary Rukia sadly looked at the ground and pressed her index fingers together while looking up occasionally to pout at Ichigo. This imaginary Rukia had made him feel guilty and he groaned. Why must his imagination of her be like this?

" Kono neko koko no neko," Ichigo ignored the cutesy imaginary Rukia as she walked behind him, " no koneko kono koneko ne." The cutesy Rukia giggled at him.

"Kono neko koko no neko," he tried to ignore his imagination of her.

* * *

"Why are you here." Rukia crossed her arms as Senna neared her cashier counter.

"I didn't even get to give you my thanks the last we have met." Senna smiled, a sickly syrupy smile. Rukia sighed and shook her head.

"Your thanks was heard. You can get out of the shop now."

"Shall I report you for bad customer service again." Senna giggled and gave Rukia a foul glare. Rukia proceeded with giving Senna the same dirty glare. They stand there glaring at each other.

"Well, Ku-ro-ki, what would you like to order?" Rukia said through gritted teeth.

"I don't know Ku-chi-ki, what is there to offer that isn't cheap?" Senna said with the same teeth grit. Rukia's vein pop.

"Sorry, everything here is too realistic for a girl that 'loves' her so called 'boyfriend' after meeting him for two days."

"Well isn't that just-"

"Ahh, so you guys are close." Ichigo's voice broke the glaring contest between the two ladies.

"What?" the two said at the same time. Senna gave Rukia the evil eye, but turned to Ichigo and quickly changed her expression.

"See, exhibit A, you guys think alike."

"Sorry Kurosaki-"

"Ichigo."

"Stop!" Rukia yelled at him and he grinned at her. He shrugged his shoulders and cupped his chin.

"Anyways, what part of us," she points to Senna and herself, "do you think makes us close? We have absolutely nothing in common. In fact we don't even know each other."

"Well, you both are short, so I figured you'd be close. I mean it's easier for you two to talk since you're both at eye level with each other."

Senna gave him a stupefied look and Rukia let out a loud, sarcastic, and dry laugh. Ichigo looked at the girls with confusion.

"Did I say something stupid?" Ichigo asked. This triggered Rukia to laugh her sarcastic laugh even harder and louder.

"Ichigo, your level of stupidity and denseness amuses me."

"Hey, you called me Ichigo." his face lit up. Senna glared at Rukia.

"If you both aren't going to order anything, I'd like you both to leave."

"I need to talk to you!" Ichigo and Senna said at the same time. Rukia raised her eyebrows at the both of them.

"Ichigo, dressed in casual clothing," Rukia observed his clothing as Senna gave her a look of shock, "aren't you suppose to be at work?"

"I-I.. uh.."

"Hey, Kuchiki, don't ignore me. You heard me first. I need to talk to you."

"You guys need to chill out. Kusajishi-san isn't here today and I need to work double hours. Unlike you guys, I can't get off my shift at anytime I like," she scowled at Ichigo, "exhibit A."

"Excuse you, I am at work." Ichigo said in a matter of fact tone as he crosses his arms. Rukia rolled her eyes at him.

"Well excuse you Ichigo, I'm at work and you guys are distracting me. Oh," she pointed over his shoulder, "isn't that the vice pres?"

Ichigo turned around and hid behind Senna. She squealed and held his hand, in which he shook her hands off. He looked around the mall and heard Rukia laugh.

"You tricked me."

"You need to get to work."

"I shouldn't be here anyways. If word goes out that I was here, the stocks would go down." annoyed, Ichigo turned dramatically away from Rukia. Senna opened her mouth to say something to him, but he walked past her and out of the shop's door. Rukia scoffed and turned to Senna.

"What? Not following him out this time?"

"Who do you think I am, his puppy? Kuchiki please, get over yourself," Senna scoffed and eyed Rukia, "I told you we need to talk."

"If it's about your 'boyfriend', I'm not interested to talk to you. Order or get out."

"Give me your best latte."

"Coming right up."

"When's your break?"

"You people have way too much free time."

* * *

Senna drank her latte and eyed Rukia closely. Rukia, obviously uncomfortable, tapped her fingers on the table.

"So..." Rukia began as she looked at Senna who was still giving her the stink eye.

"How much will it take you?"

"What?"

"To leave him alone," Senna placed her cup down delicately. Rukia let out a dry chuckle, "is it money? Do you want money."

"I can't fucking believe you," Rukia started. Senna sent her a surprised look.

"Yes, you can believe me Kuchiki, what is it that you want," Senna tossed Rukia a check, "is this enough? Do you want more?"

Rukia picked up the check and took a look at it. Senna was pleased with Rukia's action, but right then Rukia just burst out laughing.

"W-why are you laughing? Are you saying my pay is too small?" Senna shouted at Rukia who just clutched her stomach laughing hysterically, "Answer me!"

"You really didn't take my words of wisdom into consideration yesterday, did you?" Rukia asked holding up the check.

"Technically it was this morning, but anyways I did and I thought you were rude for lecturing me."

"Are you a fucking dumbass," Rukia threw the check at Senna, "do you think life's solutions would be solved like they do in dramas? Do you think I'm going to go crying and beg you for mercy? I don't need your check to send me away. If this is your way of trying to get 'rid of me', then this is the most sorry attempt you would have ever made. Want to annoy me? Get a job at Queen's Cup, I'll even convince manager to hire you. At least by then, you'll be helpful and annoying. Right now you're just sad and sorry." Rukia stood up from her seat, ready to get back to work. Senna let out a loud inhumane scream that made Rukia jump.

"Geez, what is your problem with me? Hey, have you ever considered being a seyiuu? That sounded really good for a dinosaur anime."

Senna huffed at Rukia and stood up. She took the written check and ripped it up and screamed again making Rukia jump back and gave her the 'wtf' look.

"I've had enough of you! Whenever I see you, something bad always happen! I'm so done with you! Don't plan on seeing me again!" Senna stood up and got ready to leave.  
"Wait! You didn't pay for your coffee!" Senna turned around and furiously rummaged through her purse to get ten dollars and threw it at Rukia. She let out an annoyed sigh and walked away.

"I can't stand you Kuroki, but you should really consider working here!" Rukia cry to Senna and picked up the money.

* * *

Ichigo laid on his couch as his imagined Rukia sitting by his feet, observing him.

"Why are you here again? It's not like I'm trying to do this on purpose." Ichigo got up and stared at his imagination of her. She shrugged her shoulders at him.

"I left you at the shop with Kuroki-san. Did you know you pissed me off? You tricked me," he glances a look at imaginary Rukia, "perhaps you were trying to flirt with me. Oh hey, that was actually pretty good, you were trying to flirt with me. I'm telling real Rukia that."

He sat opposite from his imagination of Rukia and observed her. She was wearing the same uniform every time he saw her. Pale blue shirt and khaki pants.

"You dress really ugly. I wonder how you look like without the uniform. Are you still, perhaps, really bad at dressing?" he asked his imagination. She shrugged her shoulders and leaned towards him. His phone rang, and with that, imaginary Rukia slowly fades away. He groaned and went to pick up the phone.

"Did you take the medicine yet?"

"Ah crap, sorry Retsu-sensei."

"You irresponsible kid -sigh- you call yourself an adult?"

"It's a learning process."

"Ichigo, Ichigo, why don't you just take your pills. Despite your age, I'm still older, so please respect your elders."

"Ha, sorry Retsu-sensei."

"I blame Isshin for not spending enough time with you. Have you heard from Yuzu-chan or Karin-chan yet?"

"No. They haven't visited either. It's been a real long time honestly." Ichigo walked around stretching and pacing.

"Did he really have to send them away though? I mean, they could've just attended Karakura High or something of that sort. It's not a bad school."

"Retsu-sensei, do you call me on your break time to gossip?" Ichigo laughed. Unohana on the other line chuckled with a hint of venom.

"As your personal doctor, I'd like to keep up with my patient. If I do remember clearly, it was you who assigned me to be your personal doctor."

"Because, I trust you a lot," he stared out the window as the sun turned crimson, "and you know a lot about mom."

There was a long pause between the two.

"We've both been through a lot haven't we? I see you're not at work today or else you would've ended this a lot quicker."

"I've been getting weird nightmares lately, so I'm trying to avoid going to work today."

"Do you want to have a counseling appointment too Ichigo?"

"Hey, stop trying to scrape money off of me old woman." Ichigo uttered. Unohana laughed at his remark and he smiled at her reaction.

"Ichigo, Ichigo, would you like me to charge you extra? You are filthy rich, young man."

"Thanks though."

"That was sudden. Come to think of it, you've been saying that word to me often lately. Did spending time with me teach you manners that your dad didn't?" she giggled.

"I'm being serious though Retsu-sensei. Thanks. You always know the right things to say. I'm happy that I have you."

"Thank you Ichigo. Oh no, look at the time, my break is almost over. I'm going to head for dinner now. Goodnight Ichigo-chan, you better take your medicine!" with that there was a click and they had ended their phone call. Ichigo smiled as he checked the time on his phone, 6:30 in the evening. He went through his contacts and called Toshiro.

"I see you didn't come to work today again."

"What time does Rukia get off work?"

"Rukia? Oh, coffee shop girl. Why?"

"Don't answer my question with a question." Ichigo commanded. He heard Toshiro scoff and that made him smile a little more.

"Usually she gets off at like 9:30, like when the mall closes. She may stay later, you wouldn't know."

"Wow, I like your stalking skills Toshiro. You know her whole schedule, do you have the hots for Rukia? Why do you know so much?"

"Quit talking nonsense Kurosaki and quit calling me Toshiro! Did you drink too much again?"

"As responsible CEO of Getsuga Enterprise, I refrain from drinking during the weekdays."

"Responsible my ass."

"Would you like to step down your position and have Ishida take your place instead Toshiro?" Ichigo threatened his vice-president.

"No. Frankly because as much as you rely on me to do your work, you rely on Ishida-san ten times more."

"Because Ishida is proven to be responsible and capable to do many tasks."

"Seems like he should be the president instead."

"Hey, you little pip squeak!" Ichigo yelled to his phone as he heard his vice-president hang up. He called Toshiro again.

"What do you want this time?"

"Rukia's number. Please provide that for me. Your superior stalking skills have been proven to be first-rate."

* * *

***AN: **Boom, I hope you're satisfied with this chapter. Wow, I really love reading your guys reviews. It makes me so happy, cheesy, but true. I'm not saying this just to be like, oh thanks for the reviews, I'm being really honest. You guys make my day. 3  
Oh ha and on the previous chapter, I tried making Cayenne and Kaien a pun, some of you caught that I believe cx

******The little tounge twister that Ichigo recites, (Kono neko koko no neko no koneko kono koneko ne), it translates to: His cat is the kitten of the cat here, this kitten  
I thought it was pretty cute.

Just wondering, do any of you guys hiccup while crying? .-.

**NOTICE: I'LL BE GOING ON A WEEK** **HIATUS**  
I'll write down the chapters, but I won't update that week, but I'll update twice in the following week. Thank you everyone. You inspire me. (シ_ _)シ -bows down-


	5. The Star

Rukia stirred as her phone vibrated violently. She ignored the shaking phone and slowly fell back to her slumber. The phone, once again, started to rattle disturbing her time of rest.

**_ Are you freaking serious? Who wakes up at a time like this?_**

She slowly pulled herself out of bed and unlocked her phone. The caller id was unknown, making her hesitate to pick up the call. The phone stopped ringing and she let out a defeated sigh. She can't go back to sleep now, but she needed the rest. Rukia sluggishly crawled back into bed and placed her head onto her pillow, trying to go back to sleep. When she thought she was about to go back to sleep, her phone rang again. Rukia let out a quiet enraged internal scream, picked up her phone, and decided to answer it once and for all.

"Hello?" her sleepy, but raspy voice asked. She saw Momo stirring in her sleep and quietly tiptoed into the bathroom.

"Wow... I didn't expect you to... Rukia were you sleeping?"

"Who the hell is this?" She carefully closed the bathroom door, trying not to disturb Momo.

"It's just me."

"What?" Rukia checked the caller id again, still unknown.

"Handsome. Rich. Tall. Ring any bells?"

"I think you got the wrong," she let out a big yawn and rubbed her eyes," Rukia. Sorry, you should check the number given to you. They probably gave you a fake or something."

"Toshiro got it for me and it's legit. My phone says Kuchiki Rukia and there's only one Kuchiki Rukia I know of."

"Ichigo?" Rukia said loathing him for waking her up so early.

"I mean it's obviously me. Who could miss this handsome voice?"

"It's 3 a.m. Ichigo."

"I had an appointment for us at 4 a.m. this morning, but I thought I'd cut us both some slack and get it appointed earlier."

"It's 3."

"Well, you're awake."

"You woke me up at 3 a.m. to have an appointment with you? This appointment better be important enough to wake a person up at 3 in the morning."

"I help you get customers and you help me attract people. Our original plan. Sound important enough? We both don't have any time to lose so I suggest we get this over as quickly as possible?"

"Fine," Rukia stretched out a bit, "where do you want to meet?"

"Where do you live?"

"Well, considering you stalked me down to get my number, you can stalk me down to get my address too."

"That's actually not a bad idea."

"Ichigo!"

"Hey, you suggested it, but if you're in Karakura, I know a place we can meet up. Go to the local clinic."

"You mean, Kurosaki Clinic?"

"I'll meet you there in 20 minutes."

* * *

Ichigo stood there, by his dad's clinic. He looked at the place with disgust. In fact, he hasn't been at the place for 5 years and I guess that's just how much he hates the place. He turns his attention away when he heard light footsteps waddling towards him. There he saw Kuchiki Rukia, a very tired Kuchiki Rukia.

_What is she wearing? Oh my- how? Why?_

Rukia had her short bob pulled back into a pony tail. She had on a gray sweater that was probably 2 sizes too big for her and black sweats with stripes on the side. Her shoes were dirty white sneakers that had probably been about a couple of years old. Ichigo's eye twitched as he saw her nearing him.

"Well, aren't you a bit too dressed up for being up at 3?" Rukia asked as she wiped her nose with the sleeve of her sweater and let out a yawn without covering her mouth. Ichigo looked at her with distaste and stepped back from.

_What a horrible taste. Such horrible, disgusting, atrocious taste._

Ichigo shielded his eyes from her with his hands. Rukia had a comical little vein pop and imaginary fumes puffed out of her ears.

"What's your problem," she asked nearing him and he continues to step back from her, "if my memory recalls correctly, and it's always correct, you're the one who called me out at 3 a.m. not me."

"You dress with a horrible sense of fashion." he muttered as he crossed his arms and turned his head away from her.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, aren't you underdressed? This is a meeting with your future boss."

"You called me out at 3."

"Yes, and you should be dressed, this is a business meeting."

"I was asleep Ichigo."

"You answered my call, therefore you were not asleep."

"You imbecile," Rukia muttered and he comically grinned at her. She kicked his shin and he yelped in pain and grabbed his hurt spot.

"Stop doing that!" he glared at her and she turned to walk away.

"Hey, stop doing that running away thing too!" he yelled at her and ran after her.

Unknown to the both of them, somebody was watching them from the top floor of Kurosaki Clinic.

* * *

"Did you even listen to anything I said?" Ichigo shook the semi-sleeping Rukia. She rolled her head up to him and nodded. He took a sip of his coffee and dramatically looked around at his private coffee shop in the middle of his family's resort.

"So basically, you'll promote me and I'll send out flyers to promote Getsuga Enterprise?"

"Anything you want to add on?" he took another sip of his coffee.

"Yeah, I think your idea sucks ass," Ichigo spat out his coffee on her note, "we'll still be stuck back at square one again and it's also really cliché."

"Well, I've been planning this since the day we had our meeting about being partners. How about you? Do you have any better ideas?"

"Well... no actually. It's like 3 or 4 in the morning and I'm not really up yet."

"Exactly. We'll just stick to my plan." he stood up to leave.

"Wait," Ichigo stopped mid-way and listened to her, "if your plan fails. Let's go with my plan."

"Which is?"

"Give me some time. I'll surely think of it, but as for the moment, I'll go with your plan." Rukia half grinned at him and extends her hands towards him for a handshake. Ichigo gaped at her, half blushing and half surprised at her gesture.

"What now Ichigo?"

"You're actually really going with my plan?" Ichigo points to himself and takes a step back, hoping she wasn't going to kick him. Rukia crosses her arms and rolls her eyes.

"Well yeah."

"No fighting or anything of that sort?"

"Why? Did you want me to pick a fight with you or something?"

"No, no. This is fine. Ok, so let me give you a ride to Getsuga." Ichigo beckoned her to his car, smirking at her.

"Don't push it Ichigo." Rukia shakes as her vein pops. He shrugs his shoulders at her and she walks past him, making sure to bump into him.

"Are you gonna do that walking off and ignoring me again?"

* * *

"Where is she?" Kuroki Senna cried as she slammed her hands down in front of Yachiru and juts her face near Yachiru.

"Ma'am I told you," Yachiru pouted as she slams her teen magazine down and stands up from her chair, "Kuchiki-san isn't here yet. I don't know why either, she's usually here really early."

"Well, call her and tell her to get here quickly, I need to talk to her!"

"Well, the manager is always here, I can direct you to him."

"I said I wanted to talk to Kuchiki. Is Kuchiki the same as your manager?"

"Please leave." Yachiru crosses her arm and furrows her brows at Senna.

"No. I'll stay here and wait for Kuchiki to come."

"You're causing a commotion for the other customers. I am asking you to leave. You can't loiter here without ordering."

"Caramel macchiato, medium, skim, extra shot, extra hot, extra whip, sugar free, more on the caramel, and use a light hand on the whipped cream," Senna shot a smile at Yachiru, who just stood there and gaped, "ohh, would you like me to repeat that? You know you should respect me more, since I am older."

"R-repeat please."

"Caramel macchiato," Senna said extra slowly, "medium, skim, extra-"

"Kusajishi-chan, I'll take care of that order." Renji interrupted the two girls, smiling at them, and taking the pen from Yachiru.

"Abarai-san," Yachiru bowed down.

"Just go to the other register, I'll take care of this. Please phone Kuchiki-san after this," he turned to an angry Senna, "what was your order ma'am?"

"To see Kuchiki, but alas I won't get my order taken. So I guess, a cup of cappuccino would be nice, easy hand on the sugar."

"You should stop bothering her."

"Who are you to give me orders? Stop bothering her," Senna slammed down ten dollars at the counter and glared at Renji, "who are you, her boyfriend? Are you her family?"

"She's a very special person." Renji glared at Senna. Senna's mind clicked and she gaped and gasped out loud.

"You are in love with Kuchiki?"

"It's not like that. It's like-"

"That's disgusting, you're like so old."

"I'm 28."

"You're 28? Why do you look so old? It's your skin! You need to take better care of it." Senna turned around and sat down near the register.

"I guess, I overwork."

"How can someone like you ever like a girl like her?"

"I don't like her."

"Sure~ you don't." Senna cocked her eyebrow. Renji glared at her and walked to their coffee counter to make Senna's coffee.

* * *

Meanwhile

"You really followed me to the bus station." Rukia glanced up and down at the neatly dressed Ichigo. He placed his hands on his knees and took in deep breaths.

"Damn woman, you run fast." he kept gasping for air while Rukia laughed at him.

"Someone needs to get into shape."

"The bus isn't here. What the heck?"

"Have you never ridden the bus? Do you think it has high technology that senses you and rushes to your side?" Rukia asked him sarcastically, taking off her ponytail and ruffling her hair. Ichigo gazed at her, charmed by her actions. He saw the strand of hair fall down to the middle of her face and took in a deep breath before turning away from her face quickly.

"What now?"

"I-I haven't ever ridden the bus. Happy now? You've done something I haven't." Ichigo crosses his arm and mopes.

"Tch, I didn't expect you to ever ride a bus anyways."

"Hey! What is that suppose to mean?"

"It's coming." Rukia said leaning her head forward to get a better view of the bus and Ichigo copies her gesture.

"I'm guessing you don't have a bus card."

"You have to pay to ride this?" Ichigo points to the bus as it rolls closer to them. He looks around as more people seem to have come. Rukia takes out her bus card.

"It gives you a discount, but it's a dollar per stop. Not like you can't afford it." Rukia said as she boarded the bus. Ichigo hesitates and follows behind her.

"Wow, it's really crowded in here." he said as he follows Rukia and sits next to her.

"Don't sit next to me."

"Stop being mean! I don't know where to sit." Ichigo quietly shouts at her. The seats were all filled up very quickly. Ichigo gapes around at all the people, feeling uncomfortable.

"I'm not feeling well. Scoot over Rukia."

"Scoot over? What's your problem?" Rukia scolds him. Ichigo sweats and breathes in harder than usual. The last passenger, a pregnant woman, walks in, disappointed to see that all the seats were taken. She stands up and holds onto the rail.

"Hey miss," Rukia gets up and points to her seat, "here."

"Ahh, no it's-"

"No problem." Rukia smiled sincerely. Ichigo blushed at her sincere smile, but it soon went away when he noticed that the pregnant woman was walking to sit his way. He saw Rukia walk to the rail and stood up.

"Here, you get double the seat which is double the protection. You don't need to thank me." he gave the pregnant woman a half smirk and walked over to Rukia and grabs onto the rail.

"What are you doing?"

"Rukia, you sure are interesting," He looks down at her and smirks. Rukia looks at him with disgust, "first picking a fight with the CEO and now giving up your seat to a pregnant woman. I just-" he stopped mid-sentence and looked away.

"You just what?" Rukia raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing."

"Weirdo." Rukia scoffed and looked away as the bus begins to take off.

"Rukia, I don't feel so good."

"What is it now?!" Rukia shouted and turned to Ichigo. The bus started to move faster. He looks at her, turning pale.

"Rukia, I -blargh-" Rukia screams and jumps back as Ichigo regurgitate all over the bus floor.

* * *

"You had motion sickness and you still followed me? You drive a car this shouldn't happen!" Rukia hands her cloth to Ichigo, "wipe yourself, if word goes out that the president of Getsuga hurled all over the bus floor, business won't go well for me."

"Evil. Just thinking bout yourself. I only get motion sickness when other people drive at inhumane speed." Ichigo sneers as he takes the cloth from her and wipes his mouth. They both walked towards the entrance of Getsuga Enterprise.

"Shouldn't you go first? You're late to work." Ichigo asks as she turns slightly.

"Yeah, I forgot you're always late so it's not a surprise." Rukia grins as she enters the building leaving Ichigo behind.

As she nears Queen's Cup, she sees a familiar face drinking coffee near the register and Renji at her usual place. She quickly opened the door and broke in.

"Manager, sorry I'm late," Rukia bowed down and then turned to Senna, "what are you doing here Kuroki?"

"To talk to you." Senna placed her cup of cappuccino down and pulls the empty seat open for Rukia.

"I'll be going now Manager," Rukia bowed down to Renji, "and Kuroki, stop bothering me during my shift."

"That's why I came here to talk to you Kuchiki. I want to work here." Senna crosses her arms and smiles proudly.

Rukia and Renji looked at each other as their jaws drop to the ground in disbelief.

* * *

Ichigo places his feet on his desk and reads over the flyer that Ishida had made. It was pink with white lace on the edges. Apparently, this was made to attract female shoppers because females were the majority in his store. There was also a giveaway that had a free car to a lucky winner.

"Not bad Ishida," Ichigo scans the paper and in the corner of his eye, he saw her, his imagination of Rukia.

"Are you here to torment me again?" he asks. Imaginary Rukia furrows her brows at him and crosses her arms.

"Wow, exactly what your real self would do. I think I'm getting a little too good at this," Ichigo slowly moves from his bad position and stands up facing away from imaginary Rukia, "Actually, I'm quite happy you didn't leave me on that bus today. I had a feeling you'd leave me there throwing up, but you're a good person and you wouldn't do that. Instead you apologized to everyone for me. I like that." Ichigo turned and imaginary Rukia was smiling sincerely at him. Ichigo blushed at his imagination and thought of when she smiled like that to the pregnant woman.

"You should smile more like that. You're really-"

"I see, still talking to imaginary friends?" a voice said behind Ichigo. Imaginary Rukia faded away and Ichigo spiraled to see his double, but with aqua eyes and onyx hair.

"Wha-"

"It's nice to see you again Ichigo."

"You're concert isn't till tomorrow. Why are you here today? Who let you in my office?" Ichigo sneered at him.

"Woah, take it easy little guy," he grinned at Ichigo, his height advantage granted him to place his hand on the top of Ichigo's head and ruffle it, "aren't you glad I'm back in town?"

"Shut up Kaien." Ichigo slapped Kaien's hand off his head. Kaien let out a laugh.

"I see, still fiery. Look, you even have that youthful glow to you."

"Shut up. Geez, why are you here anyways." Ichigo scratched the back of his head, turning opposite from Kaien.

"Unohona-sensei and I chatted earlier. She mentioned you and c'mon, can't I visit my favorite cousin." Kaien teased him pulling Ichigo into a headlock. Ichigo's vein pop.

"That's disgusting. Don't let those words come out of your mouth again." Ichigo scoffed at Kaien and pulled out. Kaien let out a hearty laugh and placed a hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"So.. remembering the accident yet?"

"Let's not bring that up Kaien."

"Anyways, wooo, going to my concert tomorrow?"

"That is atrocious," Ichigo looked at Kaien up and down with disgust, "you're music is for desperate teen girls and that voice of yours is worse than nails scratching on a chalkboard."

"Haha, ouch Ichi-ichi," Kaien pretended to be hurt, clutching onto his gut, "you're such a jerk."

"Well, I have business to attend to, so I'll be going first."

"Hey, I saw Karin-chan and Yuzu-chan yesterday. Wanna go visit them?"

"No thanks." Ichigo said while walking to his desk to grab his blazer. There was a long silence between the two cousins.

"You should really come to my concert. It'd be nice to get support. I am getting old."

"Well, now that you noticed the facts,"

"How about, I help promote your place," Ichigo perked up at Kaien's request, "and you come to my concert."

"Tch, I'll think about it."

"Hey, stop being an ass Ichigo." Kaien said as Ichigo walked past him and shrugged his shoulders. Ichigo opened the door and left Kaien there awkwardly.

* * *

"So, I'll start tomorrow right? I want the shift that Rukia is in," Senna glared at Rukia then Renji, "you know, since it's the busiest."

Renji scoffed and Rukia let out a dry sarcastic laugh.

"Yeah, you'll start tomorrow. Be here sharp and early or I'll fire you!" Rukia grinned at Senna.

"Very well Kuchiki. Since we'll be working with each other I suppose it's best to annoy you tomorrow. Have fun on your last free day." Senna smiled sickly sweet at the both of them before proceeding to walk out the door.

"Woo!" Rukia shouted and jumped for joy.

"Why are you so happy? Your nemesis is working for you."

"Does it really matter manager? We have an extra worker so it's easier to switch between the shifts. Besides, Cayenne's concert is tomorrow, I'm so excited!" Rukia squealed. Renji smiled at the bubbly Rukia.

"Did you invite any of your friends yet?"

"Well, actually, none of them like idols, so it's ok to go alone." Rukia smiled at Renji. He grinned at her, but it soon disappeared when Ichigo walked into their store.

"Yo. May I borrow her?" Ichigo points to Rukia. Renji glared at him in shock.

"W-why you. Why right now?" she yelled at him standing up.

"Well, it's to discuss our change of plans, but if you don't want to hear it out, don't follow me." Ichigo said walking out the door. Rukia's jaw drop.

"Manager, I'm really sorry, I'll be right back." Rukia bowed to Renji and ran after Ichigo.

* * *

"Why did Kuroki-san walk out of your shop with your uniform?" Ichigo asked as the two walked out of the mall.

"Wow, stalker much Ichigo?"

"I just so happen to see her walk out as I walked in. Besides, a woman like you isn't worth my stalking power." He shrugged his shoulders at her as she glared at him.

"She's working with me now."

"What?" Ichigo shouted and was shot back.

"Kuroki is working with me now. Why?"

"Did you use black magic of some sort?"

"Sort of." Rukia turned to him and did a replica of his shoulder shrugging.

"I bet you used this magic to make me talk to you." He rubbed his temples as they both neared a restaurant.

"That would be a waste of my black magic power," he glared at her as she shot him a smirk, "it's just reverse psychology."

"Reverse psychology huh?" Ichigo asked as he pulled open the door for Rukia.

"Why are we going in here?"

"To discuss our mission of helping each other out."

"We could have discussed it in your office."

"I'm your boss, so I choose the place. You're just my employee."

"Cocky bastard." Rukia muttered under her breath and walked in.

"What was that?"

"Nothing sir."

They both walked in and escorted up the stairs to a seemingly private room with a medium circular table and two chairs. Ichigo was the first to walk over and sit down as Rukia was still trying to process the information.

"Well," he gestured her to sit in front of him, "tell me about this, 'reverse psychology'."

"W-woah where are we?" Rukia asked as she sat in the chair and looked around.

"At a restaurant," Ichigo said as the waiter came to take their order, "please just give us an order of everything," he turned back to Rukia, "now tell me about this reverse psychology."

"Well, I just acted like I didn't want Senna to work with me, but actually I'm really desperate for workers at the moment and she just fell for it." Rukia grinned.

"Wow, you're a dangerous one." Ichigo leans on his hand and smirks at Rukia.

"We're not going to discuss the plan are we?"

"You're also really good at guessing."

"How did I know," Rukia sighed as she got up.

"No. I was thinking since we'll be helping each other that we will need bonding time. I'm now having my doubts about trusting you. I need to know if you're really going to advertise my mall, or are you trying to hack into my mall and steal my money and information."

"Why would I do that?"

"It's hard to trust anybody in this world," Ichigo said as the waiter placed down their first plate of food and went back for more, "so I just need to know if you're serious and reliable enough to go on with this plan."

"Well," Rukia sat back down in her seat, "Kurosaki Ichigo, I promise you, I will never, ever hack into or try to bring down your mall."

"Alright, let's have this meal to symbolize this promise. I, Kurosaki Ichigo, will promise to help this short girl bring up her sales and have more employees." he stuck out his hand for her to shake.

"I, Kuchiki Rukia, will not try to sabotage this weird guy's mall in any way. I will also advertise his mall in my spare time." Rukia took his hand and shook it.

"Woah, your hands are really soft." Ichigo's eyes lit up and grinned at her. Rukia kicked him from under the table. He yelped and startled the waiter who dropped their food onto him.

* * *

***AN: **Hey guys, long time no see? I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll update the other chapter as soon as I can. I tried to make two chapters but I had a serious brain fart. It's like my brain didn't want to cooperate, but I'll try my best to make it good for you guys. I just don't want to throw in random stuff to make it two updates. I want it to be good because your support makes me really happy and I want to make you guys happy too by (_attempting_) to write good chapters.

I have irregular updates because it's hard for me to balance my schedule and I like to write for fun, so I apologize for the irregular update times. 


	6. That Girl

Ichigo walked out of his car contented. The stars in the sky made the night look iridescent. Ichigo couldn't stop looking up at the sky as he walks to his house. Nights like tonight gave him nostalgic memories of his mother. He breathed in the fresh night air and took out his phone, dialing Unohana's number.

"Yes Ichigo?" the voice on the other line said.

"Retsu-sensei, I think, I think that I'm feeling better."

"Are you finding excuses to avoid taking your medicine."

"Yeah," Ichigo looked up into the sky and back down quickly, "I'm not even going to deny it."

"You're getting better, but you won't fully recover if you won't take them."

"Is she up there?"

"Who?"

"I think we both know who I'm talking about." Ichigo smiled sadly as he looks up into the twinkling sky.

"Ichigo,"

"Honestly Retsu-sensei, I'm scared. I'm so scared of the outcome."

"Ichigo-chan, listen to me,"

"It's not going to go away is it? You say I'm getting better, but I won't overcome it, will I?"

"Ichigo-chan! You are getting better. Unless.. Ichigo-chan, you're not taking the medicine, are you?" her voice was shaky. There was a long silence between the two.

"No I'm not taking those meds."

"See, because of that you-"

"It's like my world is full of rain and those meds aren't helping. I give up on the fight, I'm so tired I don't want to fight it anymore!"

"Ichigo-chan, come into my office tomorrow."

"Goddammit old lady, are you trying to scrape money off of me again? I really don't want counseling."

"You don't want it, but you need it. Come by, since you're my best customer, I'll give you a discount." she chuckles. Ichigo smiles and looks down at his feet.

"I'll pay full price. I'd pay double if I want to. I was just joking."

"Okay Ichigo-chan. Did Kaien-chan stop by today?" he could feel the smile spread on his doctor's face.

"You told Kaien to come see me. Didn't you? I had to move because you told him my address last time and now I'll have to move again." he exaggerated the anger in his voice.

"Quit being so mean to Kaien-chan. He adores you. Did you know that?"

"Whatever, adores me my ass. Talking to him reeks of her. It's disgusting."

"You're really sounding like a whiny jealous teenage girl."

"After all, he did get my dream girl in the end."

"Get over it. Anyways, come by my office tomorrow at 2:30. I'll have to get back to work now."

With that being said, there was a click. Ichigo was left there to loathe and admire the glistening stars before heading towards his front door. When he opened his door he had on an expression of dread.

"What are you doing in my house?"

"Ah, your maids let me inside," Kaien grinned at Ichigo while uncrossing his legs and placing down the book, "I also got people to stalk where you live, but I'll be staying here for a while."

"W-what? That's absurd, but if you insist. I only charge $1,500 per night. Cheaper than most." Ichigo said nonchalantly while brushing off imaginary dust from his shoulders.

"C'mon Ichigo-chan."

"You're a singer, you can find the money. Besides you won't be staying here long anyways. Right?" Ichigo smirks and shrugs his shoulders.

"Yes, I have sold 100,000 tickets." Kaien smiled proudly, giving him a thumbs up. Ichigo scoffed at him and rolled his eyes.

"100,000?"

"W-well yeah."

"Are you sure? Is this the best you can do?" Ichigo asked ignoring the stunned Kaien and walking up his set of stairs.

"Don't tell me you're still not over it." Kaien said. That made Ichigo stop midway up the stairs and turn around slightly.

"Pardon?"

"You're still not over it. I can tell. Look, I'm not going to say sorry it's just-"

"It's been 5 years, I think I'd be over it by now."

"Really. You're really over it. Look me in the face and say it Ichigo."

"Besides, you didn't win her. I just let you have her." Ichigo shrugged his shoulders at Kaien and continued up the stairs.

"You don't have to act like that, little bastard." Kaien sighed.

* * *

"Ahh, this is so irresponsible of you Rukia-chan, you're lucky I'm still awake!" Momo hollered to her phone.

"Sorry."

"Stop apologizing you! You're making me feel bad now. I'll take your scooter and drive there as soon as possible."

"Don't call it a scooter! It sounds lame like that. It's a motorcycle. Motor. Cycle."

"Scooter, motorbike, motorcycle yada yada, same thing." Momo rolled her eyes and jammed the motorcycle key to the keyhole.

"Sorry again."

"Ahh really my poor Rukia-chan," Momo had dramatic tears streaming from her eyes, "I really didn't mean what I said earlier. Honestly, I just feel like a jerk now."

"Good. Don't you ever dare call me irresponsible again Momo."

"You're so cruel! I'll be there in a bit." Momo hung up and drove the motorcycle to Tomi.

* * *

"Woah," gawked Momo as she arrives to Getsuga, "I haven't been to the mall in such a long time."

She took off her helmet and proceeded to walk to the entrance. It was 1:10 a.m. and Rukia was too tired to walk home. Momo went out to the karaoke bar with Matsumoto that night and was lucky enough to hear Rukia's calls.

Right as Momo was about to enter the store, she bumped into the shoulders of a guy who was slightly shorter than she.

"Kyaaa, I'm so sorry." she apologized to the guy with snow white hair.

"It's ok." he said in an icy tone. Momo raised an eyebrow. She had heard that voice before.

"Wait.. um sir!" Momo cried out to the guy walking away. He turned back to her and Momo's face lit up.

"Shiro-chan!" she cried and ran to glomp him.

"Uaack, wait, who's,"

"It's me Shiro-chan, you've grown so tall!" squealed Momo. Toshiro pulled away from Momo's strong embrace to take a look at her face.

"M-momo?"

"Ahh, you still remember me. We lost touch ever since Souske and I got engaged."

"Yeah.." Toshiro awkwardly sweat dropped, "how has it been between you two? He got the balls to ask you, so are you a married woman now?"

"Hehe," Momo scratched her head a bit, "I broke off the engagement actually."

"You what?! Weren't you crazy about him?"

"Well, Souske... he's not what we all think he is," Momo smiled with her eyes closed, "well, hey I got to pick up my pal Rukia-chan. So let's catch up some time. Okay?"

"Y-yeah. Wait, did you just say Rukia? As in like Kuchiki Rukia?"

"Oh, did you guys know each other?"

"Well," Toshiro sweat dropped at the thought of Rukia with devil horns and making smart remarks to whatever he was saying, "in a way."

"Haha great! It's nice to see you again. It's been so long, I'll be back soon, bye Shiro-chan." Momo waved goodbye to the stunned Toshiro and walked inside the building.

"That... just happened." Toshiro slapped himself a couple of times. It did just happen.

* * *

"Stop staying out so late," Momo scolded Rukia as they both put on the helmets.

"Oh," Rukia said getting onto the seat, "so tell me, how do you know the vice-president of Getsuga Enterprise?"

"Kyaa! You're such stalker, you oddball." Momo playfully slapped Rukia's shoulder.

"Spill the beans or I'll drive at an inhumane speed that you won't be able to handle."

"You're such a sadist." Momo gave Rukia a look of fake disgust. Rukia laughed at Momo's response. Rukia revved the motorcycle.

"Okay, okay! He's one of my best friends! We were childhood friends and lost touch after high school."

"Just best friends?" Rukia asked as they started to drive along the roads towards Karakura.

"Yes."

"Nothing more?"

"Nothing more. Shiro-chan is like a brother to me."

"Someone's deep in the friendzone."

"He even agrees to be my brother."

"Woah, wayyy to deep." Rukia emphasized the word 'way'. Momo pinched Rukia's arm.

"He's not even an option, so he can't be friendzoned."

"That's a little mean Momo."

"Rukia-chan, we've known each other since forever. It's not like we like each other or anything."

"Okay, whatever you say Momo. Ah, the sky is so pretty tonight." Rukia slightly looked up to the sky.

"Yeah, you can see the stars so clearly. They're twinkling so brightly."

"I'd like to think that Hisana-chan makes the stars dance for me." Rukia smiled sadly.

"She loves you and this is how she shows her love to you." Momo rests her head on Rukia's back.

"I tried looking for him."

"Hisana's husband?"

"Yeah, him."

"Any luck?"

"He'll turn up one day. I will find him."

"Don't -yawn- push yourself Rukia-chan."

"Y-yeah," Rukia sighed. There was a small silence and then she heard Momo snore from the back, "Hey! Don't sleep on me yet! You're heavy!"

* * *

"Why are you wearing a khaki skirt?" Rukia asked Senna, who just entered the coffee shop right on time.

"Your jeans were ugly." Senna checked her nails and fixed her hair. She looked at Rukia and smiled sickly sweet, "does this annoy you Ku-chi-ki?"

"Not at all. I was just wondering." Rukia said and grabbed the coffee cups to prepare for the long day. Senna scoffs and crosses her arms.

"I clock out at 5:00 p.m., right?" Senna asked.

"I'll make it later if you don't work right now."

"Wait, I don't even know what to do!"

"Basically, you're the errand boy. We tell you to do something and you do it." Rukia took out the coffee beans, getting ready to grind them up.

"I didn't sign up for this! I want to be the cashier!" Senna puts her hands to her hips and defiantly stays put in front of Rukia.

"You're free to leave. Just hand over your uniform."

"Oh, oh ho, ho. Kuchiki Rukia-san, do I scare you that much?" Senna asks putting a hand to her mouth and laughing obnoxiously. Rukia raised an eyebrow at Senna and grinned.

"Yes, yes you do Kuroki."

"Good, I'll be sure to not quit. Now that I know I'm such a bother to you I will not quit this job no matter what." Senna smiles proudly and walks to the employee only gate to open and walk in.

"Aww that sucks. Kuroki is working here for real now." Rukia acts as if she's troubled and takes a big sigh. Senna smiled and skipped to the back room.

"I'll take out the chairs and set up the place."

**_She actually fell for it, _**Rukia fist pumps and quietly shouts with joy, **_we officially have another employee._**

"Are you talking to yourself Kuchiki?" Senna walked out with three chairs stacked on top of each other. Startled, Rukia quickly went back and pretended to be engaged in the coffee bean grinding.

"Uh, yeah."

"Heh, you're so easy to mess with. This is going to be a fun job, tormenting you that is." Senna giggles out loud while setting the chairs up.

In walks Renji, surprised to see that Senna actually showed up. Senna glared at the manager and went back to get more chairs.

"She actually came."

"Well, it's her chance to get under my skin. Why wouldn't she take it?" Rukia gave Renji a half smirk.

"Excited about the Cayenne concert?"

"Yes, very! I mean.. thank you very much manager," Rukia bowed to Renji, "you really didn't have to."

"I wanted to. You don't have to thank me, it's from my own pocket because I wanted to reward you."

Right when he said that, Senna walked out of the back making gagging noises at Renji. She also pointed a finger to her tongue and continued the gagging noises. Rukia raises an eyebrow at Senna's actions.

"Hey, do you want to get fired?"

"Heh, me? Sorry, the only person with the power to decide that is Kuchiki." Senna gives Renji the stink eye and places the chairs down.

"I agree with whatever manager says." Rukia says as she grinds more coffee beans. Renji flashes Senna a winning smirk and Senna glared at Rukia.

"I can quit now, but I want to annoy Kuchiki-san, so I'm sorry Abarai. When she no longer is annoyed of my presence I will leave."

"I should've never hired you."

"She had the power to make you decide that. In my opinion she should be the manager instead." Senna smiled sickly sweet at him and spun to go back into the back room.

"Is she annoying you?" Renji asked Rukia. Rukia giggled and grinned at him.

"Seems more like you're the one annoyed." Rukia pointed out to Renji. He laughs at her remark and walks to the back.

* * *

"Ah, not going to work today Ichigo-chan?" Kaien asks as he walks into the kitchen seeing Ichigo wide awake staring at his breakfast, but not taking a bite.

"Not everyone has as much free time as you," Ichigo stabs his tamagoyaki with his chopstick and places it in his mouth, "I'll go in a bit. Don't you have a concert today?"

"Yeah, I'm about to head out in a bit."

"Good, I won't be seeing your face for a while."

"Jerk," Kaien sneered at Ichigo and took a seat next to his cousin," So, I wanted to talk today."

Ichigo looked at Kaien up and down with distaste. He took the bowl of miso and drank it.

"What is it?" he took another sip of the miso.

"I'm engaged." Ichigo choked on his miso when he heard what Kaien had say.

"Is it with her?"

"Y-yeah. With her. She... she wanted me to tell you."

"How lame." Ichigo rolled his eyes as he poked his chopsticks into his second piece of tamagoyaki.

"What do you mean lame? I popped the question! Do you know how nerve wrecking that was?"

"I don't know maybe about as nerve wrecking to see that your cousin has taken your girl."

"You're still not over it." Kaien sighed and rests his head on his hand.

"Oh, I'm over it. It's just you keep bringing it up."

"Well, any words for us?"

"What's her favorite flowers?" Ichigo stabs another piece of tamagoyaki and looks at Kaien menacingly. Kaien raises his eyebrows and scratches the top of his head.

"Hibiscus. She picked it out for the wedding."

"Wrong. It's lavender. Because lavender symbolizes being faithful and she wants to stay faithful to the person she loves." with that being said, Ichigo drops his chopsticks and got out of his seat.

"You should still come to my concert tonight."

"Yeah, I'll think about it."

"Sorry."

"I'm going to work now. If you want to come back, have one of the maids open the door for you."

"Yeah." Kaien awkwardly scratches the back of his head as Ichigo heads out the door.

* * *

"I'm working right now. If it's not about our plan then stop calling me Ichigo."

"We're not even that close and yet you're calling me by my first name." Ichigo said, his voice filled with anger.

"You're the one who forced it upon me, but if you want to go back to calling each other by our surnames then I'm more into that. Anyways, if you're here to pick a fight, we can have friendly debates after work."

"Friendly debates? Exactly," Ichigo made a sharp turn and cleared his throat, "who do you think I am, your friend?"

"Geez, what's wrong with you? Did someone shove a stick up your ass today?"

"Is that a way to speak to your boss? Please use a more appropriate tone when speaking to me."

"Sorry, but I won't be the one who you'll dump you anger to. I don't have time for this, okay? I'm hanging up. Goodbye." he heard the annoyance in her voice and the clicking of her phone. He chuckled bitterly.

_Exactly, what are you doing to her Ichigo?_

He stopped at a light, waiting for it to be his turn to drive. A woman shopping to his right made him stop in his tracks.

_Is it her? No, it must be her. It's really her._

His heart race. The cars behind him honked, but he didn't budge because he couldn't believe his eyes. It was her. He was sure it was her. He made a u-turn to get to the street she was walking on. He heard the honking of the cars, but he didn't care. She was standing in front of him.

"Miyako." he breathed. The woman turned around. Her gorgeous fringe framing her face, and her hair up in a bun. What she wore was a simple white dress, but yet she made it seem so pretty in Ichigo's eyes.

"Hello Ichigo."

* * *

"Woah, big change. So we're delivering coffee now?" Rukia asked as she helped Renji load the coffee cups into his car.

"Yeah, I was trying to attract more customers. The vice president gave me permission to let us deliver coffee, so I thought we might try it out. It would be better if we had more workers though."

"Good idea manager, maybe I can incorporate my ideas into yours. Hey, Kuroki is working here too, so it won't be as bad." Rukia beams. He smiles at her slightly and secured the coffee cups into its cup holders.

"Yeah, we have another order, so if you don't mind would you please deliver that. I wrote it on a note on my desk, you can't miss it."

"Yes," Rukia gave him her notorious smirk, "let's do our best manager!"

"Take care of Kuroki-san."

"You can count on me!" Rukia waved him goodbye before entering the building again. Customers didn't come much to the shop, so times like these were a time to check all the appliances and dump out any old coffee.

"Say, I want to be a barista too." Senna crosses her arms, stopping Rukia from entering the employee only gate.

"You'll need training, although being a barista isn't everyone's cup of coffee." Rukia slightly moves Senna aside to enter through the gate.

"I see. You're making jokes, so trying to get chummy with me," Senna crosses her arms, "No use, you're my foe, so no amount of friendliness will change my thoughts. I'm a stubborn person."

"So am I, and I don't think you're suited for being a barista." Rukia turns to go into Renji's office. Senna gasps with anger and follows Rukia into the office and shuts the door.

"Kuchiki Rukia-san, I am so suited to be a barista. There isn't anything I am not suited for. I have graduated from Keio University, which is the best in our country. If anything is up for a challenge, it's me because I will be the best barista this tacky coffee shop will ever have."

"Wow," Rukia nods her head, takes the note from Renji's desk and steps towards Senna, "someone is determined."

"Well, I'm not a liar so I will admit that you make good coffee. As for me, I will train to make even better coffee than you."

"So, let's start out with this. Your fist barista pre-challenge, memorize the steps I do to make this coffee."

"Seems easy enough." Senna crosses her arms and storms out to the coffee counter.

* * *

Miyako and Ichigo stroll near the bridge crossing from Tomi and Karakura. In their hands both held coffee from Starbucks.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Miyako asked coming to a sudden stop to take a view at the lake before them.

"Yeah, it has."

"Is it safe to leave your car there? Aren't you afraid? You were more careful back then."

"Still careful today, but it's ok to be careless for right now." Ichigo says. Miyako smiles at him and holds onto the bridge's crossbar and places her coffee on top of there.

"I see, not much has changed has it?"

"It's been 5 years, I'm sure I have changed." He copies her motions and stays by her side.

"I see, you dyed your hair back to its original color."

"It was never really dyed anyways. That was just Halloween type of dye," Ichigo takes a sip of his iced coffee and turn to look at Miayko, "I see you have cut your fringe. Those bangs look nice on you."

"Oh this," Miyako slightly blushed and brushed her side fringe to the side, "I just wanted to try something new."

"Did you get tired of how you used to look?"

"Yeah, but that's just a bad habit of mine, getting tired of things too quickly."

"I see, you haven't changed drastically either." Ichigo slightly shrugs his shoulders and takes another sip at his drink, looking away from Miyako and admiring his side of the view. Miyako rolls her eyes at Ichigo and drinks her coffee.

"So, how'd it go with Daichi's daughter? I heard you two went on a blind date."

"You heard it from my old man didn't you?" Miyako smiled slightly at him.

"Yeah, I visited Kurosaki-sensei yesterday. He caught me up on things."

"I see, gossiping with my dad." he chuckles playfully and she graciously pushes his shoulder.

"You can say that. How's your romance then? Is she any good?"

"She's... she's no you," Ichigo turned to Miyako. She looks at him with a guilty face and turns to the side, "but either way, she's not my type of girl."

"You know... Kai-kun and I are engaged."

"Oh, I see, you call him Kai-kun now," Ichigo sarcastically chuckles as he looks away from Miyako, "times have changed hasn't it? Well, yeah, I've heard, Kaien wouldn't shut up about it."

"You and I, you know, shouldn't spend time alone like this from now on."

"Like what? Having a friendly chat? Is he so controlling that he won't let you see me?"

"No, Kai-kun didn't decide that, " she cups his face and shifts it towards hers, looking at him straight in the eye, "I did. I did it for my own self. Ichigo, I'm getting married to the man I love with my heart. Please, just stop whatever you're trying to do."

Ichigo takes her hands off of his cheeks and pulls her into an embrace.

"Yeah, just let me do this one last time."

"W-we can still be friends."

"Still be friends," Ichigo scoffs and leans to her ear, "that's like giving me bread when I'm dying of thirst for your love."

Miyako pushes him off in antipathy. He looks at her slightly sad and confused.

"Look, I'm sorry I cheated on you. Just please, stop doing this. I am getting married to your cousin, your blood cousin. I don't love you. I won't love you Ichigo. I'm sorry I made you feel that way. I'm sorry you're not over it. Kai-kun and I promised not to get married until you're over it. Let's... let's not see each other like this anymore." Miyako grabs her drink and walks away from Ichigo. He watched her walking away farther and farther until she was no longer in his sight.

_You're so pitiful._

He knew that himself as he hopped onto the crossbar, looking down at the water.

_The only girl you love, is in love with your cousin._

He angrily throws his drink into the water and watched it fall with a plop.

_Why? Are you gonna jump now? Everything will be okay if you jump. There isn't much to miss is there? Who will miss you in the end, right?_

He stands up on the crossbar, hearing the cars, feeling the breeze, and the clear blue underneath him. There wasn't much to lose if he jumped. Everything would be ok if he fell. There wasn't much to live for anymore.

"Ichigo what're you doing?!" Rukia's voice cried from behind him.

_Ahh, I really am crazy. Even my imagination of her talks now. You're one crazy fucked up piece of shit Ichigo, _and with that thought, Ichigo jumped off the bridge.

* * *

He felt the extreme coldness of the water fill up his lungs and he coughed it out. There were no splashing, no yelling, no nothing. He just wants to disappear in peace.

_Is this how it feels before you die? I guess this is how my fate is._

Ichigo felt himself sink into the water instead of floating up, but that didn't scare him. He knew he couldn't swim, but that didn't bother him. Dying didn't scare him right now. He closed his eyes and embraced his life given to him. He was ready to let go. It was harder for him to breathe now.

**SPLASH**

He took in deep gasping breaths and coughed out as he felt the warm sun against him again.

"What the hell are you thinking?!" the familiar voice shouted at him as he gets dragged onto shore. He coughed and water ran down his nose.

"I didn't know you could talk." he managed to choke as he breathes in the air again.

"What do you mean you don't know I can talk? You talk to me all the goddamn time!"

"No, you're usually just there, I talk to you."

"Did the water get into your fucking brains too?" the sarcastic reply shocked him.

"Are you really Rukia? I'm not imagining this time right?" He felt her push him onto land as he looks at her. She was angry and wet, trying to control her anger.

"You can't fucking swim and you jump into the middle of the freaking lake! Are you insane?"

"How did you know I can't swim?"

"You didn't even float up after you jumped in! What the hell is wrong with you?!" she shouted at him. Ichigo scoffs and turns his gaze away from her.

"Why did you save me?"

"Why did you fucking jump?!"

"I want to die okay," he shouts at her, making her become angrier, "I want to fucking die. I'm okay with killing myself. I just want to disappear and-"

**SLAP**

"That's for thinking of something so dumb," Rukia slapped him again, "that's for thinking of suicide," she pulled him by his hair to her face level and head butts him, "that's for being so goddamn selfish! Did you even think of the people you'll be hurting when you fucking die?!"

"No one will miss me when I die." Ichigo pushes her off and Rukia falls to her butt. Ichigo gets up and walks away from her. He then felt a kick at his shin and shouted in pain while falling down.

"No one will miss you? Are you sure no one will miss you? Don't make me regret saving you Ichigo."

"Yes, I'm sure nobody will miss me. You certainly won't miss me. I have no family to miss me."

"The coffee shop will perish without your help of promotion! You made a vow to go on with the plan! I made a vow to help you! You should be lucky you at least have a family you selfish prick. People like you have too much good stuff and you all take it for granted. If this is the guy I'm going to put Queen's Cup's life on the line for, then I quit." with that being said, Rukia walks away from Ichigo, going towards her motorcycle.

"It's because you're not seeing it in my shoe. You don't know my situation. You just show up out of nowhere and lecture me!"

"Knowing your situation or not, suicide is never the answer." Rukia said, without turning around. Ichigo, disgusted with himself, stood up and ran towards Rukia and grabbed her wrist.

"You've said your fair share of words, now listen to mine." He looked at her scowling face and drags her opposite from her motorcycle and near where he parked his car.

"I need to get back to the coffee shop! I have somewhere important to attend today!"

"Just, listen to me, hear me out, and I'll send you back before 5:00, I promise you." He looks at her with distraught, "I'll return your motorcycle too in safe condition, but for right now, I just want you to listen to me without interrupting me."

To be continued...

* * *

***AN: **So.. I hoped you enjoyed this really long chapter (just longer than most). I was trying to show the more complicated side to Ichigo and Rukia's relationship. I also wanted to focus on the minor characters around them. Oh and I worked all day trying to incorporate my old ideas and new ideas and came out with this chapter.

Thank you to every single one of you who review my chapters. Your words of encouragement keeps me motivated. I like reading your opinions and how you like my writing, it makes me all fluffy inside cx**  
**

I honestly don't know when my next update will be, and I apologize for it. I just have to wait until the right ideas come to my mind and even when that happens, it's not something I usually stick to. Thank you for being patient with me!


	7. My Five Lifetimes

"She's, like a bad habit," Ichigo chuckles as he turns the street corner, "I know it's wrong to talk to my cousin's fiancé, but I keep doing it anyways. I just need to get things straight."

"You're a sick bastard. Why are you even hitting on your cousin's girl?" Rukia gives him a look of disgust.

"Hey, he hit on her while he knew we were still together, so he's the bastard! Besides, I'm not even hitting on her, I'm just trying to make peace with her!" Ichigo pouted to her and she slaps his head.

"Keep your eyes on the road idiot! I don't want to get hurt!"

"Mean, hitting me in my worst condition." he turned his direction back to the road and continued driving. The two stayed in a long awkward silence as Ichigo kept driving to a destination unknown to Rukia.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." Ichigo sighed. Rukia's eyes turned as big as saucers and her mouth hung open.

"Did you just apologize? As in a sincere apology?"

"Yeah, I sincerely apologized to you. This won't happen again so cherish the moment Rukia." Ichigo glances at her and sends her a small smile.

"Why did you apologize to me?"

"I just felt like it. You know, felt like saying the word to you."

"That's weird," Rukia raises an eyebrow. Ichigo shakes as he grips the steering wheel with all his might and a comical vein appears on the side of his head.

"Weird? Did you just call me weird?!" his head turns to her as he barks.

"No, I meant that it's weird apologizing out of nowhere." Rukia juts her face closer to his as she too gets the vein.

"A person like me apologizes to you and you call them weird? You're such an insensitive jerk," he moves his face closer to hers, "Most girls would swoon over me and blush and, and, like..."

"Well, Kurosaki-san, maybe if you haven't noticed," Rukia raised her octaves to a higher than normal pitch, "Kuroki-san is like those girls." she dropped her voice back to normal.

"Don't you dare change the subject! Anyways, you won't be like those girls," he looks up and down at her, "you're short, you dress like my dad, and you have a smaller than average bust size. I'm not into you anyways."

"That's really relieving."

"I forgot to add, you're also very unladylike. I should get Miyako to teach you manners." Ichigo scoffs at her. Rukia rolls her eyes and lets out a big sigh.

"I don't get it. You hate her, but you love her and can't stop thinking about her."

" I don't love her, I just need to get things straight. Like I said before, she's a bad habit, I hate what I'm doing, but I can't stop it." Ichigo looks outside and then abruptly stops sending Rukia to jolt forwards.

"What the hell was that for you freaking bas-"

"This is where, Miyako and I first met." Ichigo's gaze turn melancholy with the memories of her.

"You guys met at the cemetery," Ichigo ignored her and got out first, "hey, Ichigo! Why did you take me here?"

"Get out the car and I'll tell you why." He turned around and shrugged his shoulders at her. Rukia followed behind Ichigo on the pavement-less trail and to a bench under a tree. He sat down first leaving Rukia standing a few feet away from him, the tree, and the bench. Where she stands, a few lavenders grew.

"You took an oath to listen without interrupting me so now listen," Ichigo looks at the bench points next to his seat, "Right here, is where she and I met. Call it an accident, fate, or whatever you want, but I truly believed that fate has brought Miyako and I together here."

He turned to Rukia who now sat down next to the lavenders with her knees to her chest, intrigued in his story.

"Although maybe, someone like you may not believe in fate, I do, or at least I used to. You see, we met when I was 9. Right then," Ichigo stopped suddenly. He thought of that day, the day his life changed. The loud noises and the heavy object on top of him. He heard people shout and he woke up to...

"Ichigo?" He snapped out of his thoughts to look at the small lady below him, lavenders in her hands and a concerned look on her face.

"I said don't interrupt me," he scowled at her and she glared back at him. He softened his expression and began again," well, long story short, I had a lot of family issues at that moment and... she was like... an angel. An angel who guided me through darkness. I was here one afternoon and she tumbled down from the tree, literally," he stopped and let out a chuckle, "I was surprised she didn't break a bone or something. I think because of her strong will, I fell for her. She is a couple years older than me, 3 years exactly, but that made me like her even more. She's mature, nice, and had this heart of gold. By the time I was 13, I realized that I loved her. I was madly in love with Miyako. Her words motivated me and when I was in doubt, she made me a better person. When I was 16, I finally had the balls to ask her out. We started to date and I was so happy that she didn't reject me because of our age difference. When I was 17, she had helped me in my darkest times and I was glad she was there in my life to help me and I knew I won't let her go, not easily. I had even decided that, if I lived 5 lives, I would love to spend all those 5 lifetimes with her. I was 18 when she had told me she liked guys with darker hair color, I went my ways and dyed my hair black for her. She had met my cousin when I was 20, or I had thought so. That was when everything went downhill. Later that year, I found out she has been cheating on me. She met him years ago, back when I was 18. They hit it off, and ever since then, she had been cheating. Her smile played it off well. I guess you can say, the girl I was devoted to, she's the one that made my world crumble. I'm over her, but yet, I feel like I have left unfinished business between us. My theory is, it didn't take me a year to realize I love her, so it won't take me a year to get over her. It has been 5 years, I'm over it, but here she is, tumbling back into my life and I don't know why I feel hurt and betrayal again."

Ichigo turned to her. She sighed deeply and ran a hand through her hair. Rukia threw the lavenders on the floor and took a deep breath.

"Look Ichi-"

"I'm done," Ichigo got up and left Rukia, "let's get in the car."

"Hey, wait!" Rukia got up as fast as she could, wiping the dirt off of her wet bottom and accidentally ruining the lavenders, "I have something else to say." that didn't stop Ichigo from walking farther.

"You don't have to listen to me if you don't want to. Stop walking if you're curious to what I'm going to say, walk away if you don't want to hear me."

Ichigo slowly halted and Rukia walked closer to Ichigo.

"That was your past, although your past hurts, it was the past," Rukia was about a foot away from Ichigo, "Right now, this is your future. Although you can't alter the past, you can do something about the future," she was right next to him and she smiles ahead of her, not looking at him, "so this is your decision, let me hear it Ichigo," she turns to him and smirks, "are you gonna spend your 5 lifetimes hung up on a girl who loves your cousin?"

"You little rascal, you just talk too much." he chuckles at her and walks ahead of her and into his car, leaving her gaping.

"H-hey! I don't talk too much! You're the one who's spending all afternoon here talking to me about a girl you used to love!" Rukia cried and runs towards his car. Ichigo watches her run frantically to his car and smiles.

_Mom, I met this weird girl who tells me weird things, but for some reason, her words put me at ease._

* * *

"H-holy! It's 5:30, I'm going to be late!" Rukia flips her phone open, "and my phone is dead. I guess it got too much water in it."

"I can take you home." a small cocky grin creeps onto his face.

"No way."

"Hey, hey," Ichigo glared at her, "I'm being nice to you and you're making it seem like I'm being an asshole."

"Maybe you are the asshole."

"I just don't understand you," Ichigo groaned, "well, if you're not gonna give me your address to go home, might as well take you to my house."

"What?!" she shouted, giving him a slightly surprised and disgusted face. Ichigo shrugged his shoulders at her and looked ahead, solely focusing on the road.

"You can't do that!" she crosses her arms and blew the bang in the middle of her face.

"Technically, I can, you're just denying it."

"You, stop the ca-"

"I'll give you 5 seconds to decide your fate Kuchiki Rukia. Argue with me to go to my house, or give me your address so I can take you home."

"That doesn't even-"

"Ha you sneaky, sneaky girl, playing hard to get? Alright, my house it is."

"Bastard," Rukia sneered at the grinning Ichigo, "fine." she groans as she proceeds to tell him her address.

"Good, I'll keep that in mind."

"You're going too slow!"

"Too slow? TOO SLOW? How fast do you want me to go lady?"

"Let me drive. I know a shortcut from here."

"I'm not letting you touch my car!"

"I know a freaking shortcut! It's not like I'm going to damage your car!"

"This is my favorite car," Ichigo shouts at her. Rukia raises her eyebrow and uncrosses her arm.

"Do you mean to say, you don't trust me?" the mischievous look on her face gives him a chill down his spine.

"N-no. I mean..."

"Ohh, the great and mighty Kurosaki Ichigo is afraid of a lady like me, driving the car."

"I have motion sickness, remember."

"I'll get us there so quick, you won't even remember throwing up." Rukia gives him a playful punch on the shoulder. Ichigo quickly stepped on his brakes at her touch.

"Did you just punch me?"

"Yeah I just punched you."

"You dare punch me?"

"What's been done is done I guess." Rukia mocks his shoulder shrugging and Ichigo scoffs.

"Fine then," he gets out of his car and to her side, "get out of this seat and drive us home."

"Don't you have motion sickness?"

"You should have considered that before persisting to drive my car."

"Alright then," Rukia goes around the car to sit in the front, "but since I'm driver, I say let's drive with the top down."

Ichigo could feel his stomach beg for mercy.

* * *

"It wasn't even THAT bad, Ichigo, stop exaggerating. At least I got us here at 5:45. Pretty quick right?" she asked to an Ichigo that was busy hurling up his coffee and whatever he ate that day.

"You dare say,"

"Well thanks Ichigo, I'm going to go home now."

"Wait, I need to walk you home first." Ichigo said, still weak from throwing up. He gaped at the apartment that stood before him. The windows were barely holding up, just barely hanging on pieces of tape. The stairs seems like they could break at anytime, even with the slightest movement, but Rukia lived at the bottom. In fact, the building itself seemed to be worn down, with its fading red color and flickering light.

"Is this really where you live? It looks kinda shady." he called out to her. She was ahead of him, but not too far ahead.

"Yup, this is where I live."

"I've never," he began, walking up to her, "seen a place like this."

"Well, maybe it's because you've never ventured out here, where it's not filthy rich." Rukia says, walking towards the front door to her apartment.

"How much do you pay a month?"

"Generally, it's $300 a month, but my friend and I split up the bill so it won't overwhelm us."

"$300?! That's just absurd! My shoes are $300!" Ichigo shouts lifting his feet up to her. Rukia gives him the "shh" sign.

"There are people here living here besides us okay. We need to keep quiet for them."

"Do you want me to just leave you here?" Ichigo asked as they both reached her apartment door.

"Yeah, you can go now. By the way, not trying to get stuff into your head, but your car is pretty cool."

"Well," Ichigo shrugs his shoulders at her, "what can you say? This is the best I'm talking about."

"Tch, cocky bastard." Rukia rolls her eyes as she opens her door and steps in, closing the door on Ichigo.

"Insensitive bitch." he scoffs as he walks back into his car.

* * *

"Why phone! Why must you die?!" Rukia frantically clicks random buttons on her phone, attempting to revive it.

"You're so loud, Rukia-chan!" Momo enters the front door as she witnesses Rukia crying to her dead phone. The apartment was a mess with clothing and shoes thrown everywhere.

"I accidentally killed it, do you know how expensive this phone was?"

"Guess I'll have to get you another one." Momo lets out an exasperated sigh as she throws her purse down and rushes to belly flop on the bed.

"Yeah, sorry about that Momo."

"Are you gonna go on a date with your boss tonight?" Momo asked peeking up slightly at Rukia who had mountains of clothes around her and her dead phone.

"No! Date? I'm going to a concert!" Rukia swipes her head away quickly to check her Cayenne alarm clock for the time she has to get ready. She had approximately 30 minutes because Renji promised to pick her up at 6:15.

"Riiiiiight. A 'concert'," Momo takes her hands and quotes concert, "you know a regular concert between you and your boss. Nothing big."

"Yep, just a regular boss and employee outing to a concert."

"Really, why are you so desperate to find a decent outfit then?"

"I want to look like a civilized human being, excuse you plus, I am going to see my idol."

"Are you sure you're not doing this to impress your boss, or are you doing this to impress Cayenne?" Momo props up on her elbows as she continues to tease Rukia.

"I'm not trying to impress anybody. You know, not every girl dresses to impress guys. I'm obviously doing this for me."

"Geez Rukia-chan, I'm teasing."

"Whatever. What should I wear Momo?" Rukia, frustrated, threw herself onto the bed, next to Momo.

Momo gets up and inspects the clothes lying all over the floor. She picks up a Cayenne tank top that Rukia had since forever, blue jeans, walks over to the closet and grabs a plaid cardigan, and gently walks to Rukia to places the clothes next to her.

"Did I ever tell you how much I love you Momo?" Rukia turns to her friend and Momo chuckles viciously.

"Ohhh my shallow minded Rukia-chan," Momo leaned down to with a playful and mischievous smile Rukia, "me picking out your clothes comes with a price."

* * *

KNOCK-KNOCK

"Is this necessary?" Rukia reaches her hands up trying to rub her eye, only getting her hand pulled back by Momo.

"You'll ruin your eyeliner and my hard work, besides your boss is already here." Momo pushes the made up Rukia to the door and open it to reveal Renji on the other side.

"Wow Kuchiki, you look... n-n-nice." Renji blushed at the sight of her. Momo had put makeup on Rukia, but not dramatic makeup just a little enhancement. She brought Rukia's eyes to full attention with winged eyeliner and mascara and she also added a little drama with blush.

"Err.. thanks manager." Rukia chuckles awkwardly rubs her arm and gave him a half smirk before getting pushed out by Momo and stood next to Renji.

"Don't do anything bad you two! Hey you," she pointed a finger at Renji, "if she gets hurt, you'll face her debt bills! She owes so much, it'll make you faint!" Momo finished as she slams the door in front of the two.

Renji and Rukia looked at each other and laughed at Momo's threat.

"Shall we go Kuchiki-san?" Renji asks as they both walk to his motorcycle. Renji hopped on and beckons for Rukia to sit in the back.

"Can't I drive?"

"Not tonight Kuchiki-san, this is me treating you for all your hard work."

"May I just take my motorcycle?" Renji rolls his eyes at her stubbornness.

"Just hold onto me, we'll be perfectly safe."

* * *

"I see you didn't come today Ichigo-chan."

"Sorry Retsu-sensei," Ichigo puts on a more casual dark blue v-neck shirt and light blue jeans, "I had a therapy session with someone else."

"Doubting my skills? That's cold Ichigo-chan."

"Well," Ichigo chuckles, "not really."

"Did I hear you hesitate?"

"In my book, you're still my favorite and number one doc, Retsu-sensei!"

"Whatever, why don't you assign that new person as your doctor instead?"

"Because, she's a commoner with only a high school diploma. There's no way that she can ever replace anyone dear to me." Ichigo takes his phone and key and goes out of the room.

"Ichigo-chan, don't judge a person by their social status." Unohana scolded him. Ichigo laughs as he exits his house and opens his garage.

"I'll remember that quote, although, I promise I won't live by it."

"Ugh, did you recently talk to your stepmother? She's despicable." Ichigo chuckles at Unohana's comment as he gets into his least favorite car and starts it.

"Here we are, gossiping about my family again. Why is she brought up in this conversation anyways?"

"I'd rather not say Ichigo-chan. Hey, are you going to Kaien's concert tonight?"

"Unfortunately." Ichigo drives out of his drive way.

"Don't be like that. Record it for me, when I was going to buy the tickets, they were sold out. How'd you get them?"

"When you're filthy rich like me, you can find loopholes."

"You're so full of yourself. I hope one day a nice lady would knock you head over heels and make you realize what a spoiled young man you are."

"Too bad Retsu-sensei, " Ichigo says in a teasing tone, "all the girls fall for me too easily. None of them are worth it. Besides, marriage is like a company merger. If I marry a rich successful young girl with a superior family background, she would help Getsuga Enterprise be even richer. When that happens, I'll be able to start a chain of Getsuga Enterprises."

"What a horrible way to live."

"As if you're one to talk. You're rich and successful, and who do you marry? The 'love' of your life."

"Kenpachi is in a nicer place now thank you for bringing him up Ichigo-chan."

"Sorry, but I did actually love a woman before."

"Here we are talking about Miyako-chan again. Ichigo, you know you can do better."

"Wow Retsu-sensei, jumping to conclusions already," Ichigo laughs at his doctor, "I was going to say, my mother was the first woman I fell in love with."

"Unexpected, but I should have expected that. Ichigo-chan is full of surprises isn't he? Now, what made you suddenly want to attend Kaien's concert?"

"No matter how much I hate him, he's still my cousin."

"Aah, there it is, forgiveness. See, hanging out with me brings bright things in the future." he heard Unohana laugh heartily to herself.

"You wish it was you old lady."

"Now, now Ichigo-chan, don't talk like that to a woman who can charge you at anytime."

"You're so evil," he parks at the V.I.P part of the stadium, "I'll call you tomorrow Retsu-sensei."

"Yes, please do. I'm so much more at ease now that I know you took your medicine."

"Goodnight Retsu-sensei."

"Record the concert for me!" she shouts with jolliness as Ichigo chuckles and hangs up. He looks at the entrance filled with fangirls and sighs deeply.

"Well," he says as he gets out of his car and shuts the door, "when you're rich, you find loopholes."

* * *

"Well," Renji sweat drops as they got in line and looks down at Rukia, "wanna wait in line while I'll get us drinks or something?"

"Are you trying to find ways to not wait in line?" Rukia peers up at him and glares.

"Hey, Kuchiki-san, you caught me red-handed again," Renji puts both of his hands up and Rukia laughs, "say, how long has it been?"

"Since when? Hisana's death? Nii-sama's disappearance?"

"No, since you and I met?"

"I don't know actually. Since a long time?"

"Really," Renji turns to Rukia and smiles, "I still remember it vividly."

"Wowie, you're old mister. I guess your memories can't even come clear now, can they?"

"Shut up. I remember you were, 13 that time, you haven't changed much, you know, still short," with that being said, Rukia playfully pinched his arm, "I had just turned 18 and I was working at Queen's Cup, as a waiter and barista. You barged into the store demanding Hisana. My initial thoughts were, how can a girl this small be so loud?"

"Well," she turned to Renji, "wanna know what I thought?"

"With a mind like yours, it's either offensive or mean, but what did you think?" he smiles as they both moved forward.

"How can a guy look so human, but yet so much like a monkey." she fakes a disappointed head shake. Renji laughs at her and they both moved forward again.

"You're so mean to me Kuchiki. You called me Senpai all up until you started working at Queen's Cup."

"Well, maybe I just thought you were too old to be my senpai anymore."

"I'm 28."

"See, you're old." Rukia half smirks at Renji. He laughs as they moved forward again.

"Hey look, it's our turn." said Rukia as she runs ahead of Renji and they finally got inside of the building.

Renji and Rukia took a seat 3 rows from the front, smack dab in the middle, but Rukia could hardly sit because she was so excited.

"The concert hasn't even started yet Kuchiki."

"How much did it cost?"

"Don't you worry about that Kuchiki, tonight, the night is all yours."

"It must've cost a fortune. I'm sorry, " she bowed down to Renji, "please don't do this again ok manager. I'm always up for hard work."

"Geez, you need a break workaholic." Renji sighed as more people enter. Rukia sat down as people settle down and room seemed full. The whole stadium had the lights dim as the seemingly last people entered and Rukia's heart beat rhythmically. There were fans screaming, but Rukia remained calm. She was really going to see him, Cayenne, the person she had admired for so long. What got her heart beating the fastest was when said man walked onto the stage.

"Hey everyone. It's Cayenne, nice to see all of your beautiful faces tonight." he said in English. The crowd started to scream and squeal in satisfaction, but Rukia didn't. She was still trying to process the information that she was actually here, at his concert.

"Are you happy?" Renji whispered to Rukia.

"Very. Thank you." she whispered back, not looking at Renji, but focusing her full attention on Cayenne. The music starts slowly crescendoing.

"I'd like to start out singing my bestselling song, Baby it's you." he bows to the crowd and they all scream.

* * *

_Why did I even agree to this? _Ichigo asked himself as he shakes his head, not standing up like everyone else in the crowd.

"Baby, it's you, even your pain becomes a memory someday,"

_Gross, he can't even hit the note. I bet I can do better. Singing career, this is a joke. _

"You're the only one, don't think, just feel,"

_Whatever. I bet you tell that to every girl you sing to, slut._ Ichigo rolls his eyes at Kaien who gets off the stage and walks down the aisle of fans. All the girls reached out their hands as he touched them.

"I'll make your whole body tremble, future is you."

_Ha, see, slut._

Kaien kept singing, but Ichigo was no longer listening, but off into a world of his own. He got the front row V.I.P seat that cost $700, but someone already had the seat, so he tracked down the person and paid triple for what the person had bought the ticket for and got his seat. That's not what he was thinking of though. What his mind wandered to was the petite and hot headed female he spent his afternoon with. His mind kept replaying what she had said to him, over, and over again, as if it was on replay. By now, he has even memorized what she had said to him by heart.

"Now, I'd like to sing this last song. It's my favorite in the whole album because I wrote it for the lady I yearn for." he chuckles. The music starts and once again, the crowd goes wild.

"The wings of my heart, yearning for a spring where happiness flutters about,"

In the corner of his eye, Ichigo saw Miyako. She was sitting 6 seats away from where he is and was wiping her eyes with a handkerchief while smiling like an idiot.

"Becoming scattering flower petals, headed for you,"

_I see, supporting her husband-to-be. Miyako is such a good wife-to-be. You know, _Ichigo turns to Miyako and smile, _I'm kinda glad you chose Kaien over me._

"Whenever you hear the wind, I will be by your side,"

_ You've always been a sappy bastard freakin Kaien, _he turned away from Miyako to watch Kaien's performance.

"Protecting you as you live here and now is more important than an inconsolable sadness or loneliness,"

_But I guess because of that, Miyako fell in love with you instead._

**"That was your past, although your past hurts, it was the past. Right now, this is your future. Although you can't alter the past, you can do something about the future. So this is your decision, let me hear it Ichigo, are you gonna spend your 5 lifetimes hung up on a girl who loves your cousin?" **

A smile cracks onto his face as he hears her voice echoing in the back of his mind.

_ Of course not. I'll find someone who is worthy of my 5 lifetimes._

* * *

"Hey, you look pretty sleepy, you okay?" Renji said as they neared Rukia and Momo's apartment.

"Y-yeah. I'm more than okay. I just saw my idol manager. I saw the man I had been admiring since before debut." Rukia sighs as her heart fills up with warmth. She gets off of the motor bike and bows down to Renji. This is real. She had just seen him up close. She had heard him sing live and it sounded even better than the tracks.

"I'm happy that you enjoyed it. Cayenne is a very good singer."

"Thank you very much." she bows down to Renji.

"W-wait," Renji stopped Rukia before she went inside, "I- I uhh got you something."

"Why? Today is nothing special." Rukia rubs her eyes, smearing her eyeliner, and let out a giant yawn. Renji chuckles quietly before letting out a defeated sigh.

"You're partially right, but I'll give it to you tomorrow."

"Wait, why?"

"See you tomorrow Kuchiki!" with that being said, Renji drove away from the half-awake Rukia entering the apartment.

Today, marked the 10th anniversary of Renji and Rukia's first meeting.

* * *

***AN: **HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY long time no see? UGHhh this is the hardest chapter I have written so far. Also, my least favorite chapter to write (so far). It's been so hard to get inspiration. ( ≧Д≦)

I took a part from episode 72 (old episode), but it was in Ishida's hospital, and I just kinda rearranged it? Idk but I thought that scene was so cute and I just switched their roles. I adore Ichigo and Rukia's love quarrels lol cx

Oh and I used Orihime's 5 lifetime speech as my inspiration (practically just took it, sorry Kubo) for Ichigo's love declaration to Miyako because it's unrequited love you know? I also tried using symbolism here, but idk I think it failed for the most part. Anybody catch the symbolism?

The songs I used for Kaien's concert were Bleach endings, **Baby it's you** and **Sakurabito. **By the way, I've never been to a concert so I had to visualize and pretend I was there.

**Thanks for reading! Happy reading! Dunno when the next chap will come out sorry (シ_ _)シ**


	8. Misunderstood

_ Once again, she is tied down by the red strings. Weird, she thinks to herself, this reoccurring dream only happens once a month, why is it happening again? The silhouette on the other side seemed to be closer this time, but it's going to be like all the other times she had had this dream, it was only an optical illusion and it will be farther once she reaches it. She walks closer to the silhouette and this time, it wasn't an optical illusion. It didn't go farther. She yells out to the person on the other side. Waiting for their reply..._

* * *

"...yeah." Ichigo sighed as he walks out of his closet, coffee in one hand and phone in the other.

"Are you planning on taking anyone?" Isshin asked. Ichigo sighed and drank his coffee.

"No."

"What?! No one?! I cannot believe my son!" Ichigo rolled his eyes at his father's statement, "Kaien is going to bring Miyako-chan! Who are you going to bring? Will your mother be happy wi-"

"Mom would be happy with anything I did. If you're going to call me for such useless things, I'm going to hang up. Why don't you call Karin and Yuzu? I'm sure they'd love to hear from you. Are they even invited?"

"No, they have school. Ichigo, I'm trying to do what's best for you."

"I think I'm old enough to know what's right from wrong, but Yuzu and Karin are still young and naive. They need guidance, so why don't instead of trying to marry me off quickly, you worry about Yuzu and Karin." Ichigo hung up the phone, not bothering to hear Isshin's reply. He sighed deeply and heard Kaien knock on his door.

"Have you considered that it's not your old man's fault? You know you're not the little bro I have grown to know from years ago."

"Are you gonna lecture me too?" Ichigo slightly turned to Kaien, giving him the stink eye. Kaien crosses his arms at his cousin.

"Not exactly, just guiding you. Let's not go to work today and just take a break. Isshin told me about the dinner too, so let's go shop for a new outfit or something."

"You're really irresponsible," Ichigo stood up and drank his coffee, "I am the president of a very popular mall. I don't have as much free time as you." with that being said, he walked past Kaien, out of his room, with his phone in his hand, dialing a number.

"Really kid, what's with that bruise on your head?"

"It's really none of your business how I get hurt." Ichigo slams the door on the confused Kaien.

"Retsu-sensei, my old man is having a family meeting dinner so I'm bringing you along." Ichigo locks his door and heads to his car.

"Really? An old lady like me? I'm flattered Ichigo-chan." she jokes as he chuckles. Ichigo gets into his car and starts the engine.

"I figured you're basically family, so I don't see why he doesn't invite you."

"Oh, there are many others like me."

"More like you?"

"I guess, when the time is right," he hears the hesitation in her voice, "I'll tell you."

"Are you going to start keeping things away from me too? Unbelievable, you too Retsu-sensei?"

"The time will come and you'll understand everything."

"Really? Why not now?"

"You'll thank me when the time comes."

"What did you mean there are more like you?"

"I meant that there are many people who help other people only to get pushed away. You should look around and help those people out for me."

"I will. Get ready, I'll pick you up at 7:00."

* * *

"Yeah hon, I'm still at Ichi's place."

"Kai-kun, spending all your time with your little bro? What about me, you don't miss me?"

" No, no, no, I do miss you. I really do."

"Really? You really, really miss me Kai-kun. What a liar you are."

"Yako-chan," Kaien whines and pouts to the person on the other line of the phone, "there's a family dinner tonight. Want to go shopping?"

"Yay, let's pick matching outfits. Yeah? You and I would be so cute!"

"Yeah? I know you'd love that. Hey come over to Ichi's place, I'll get us coffee."

"Alrighty! I'll be over when I'm ready ok? Bye-bye Kai-kun!"

Kaien walks over to Ichigo's messy desk and examines the take out menus and notes. He saw a sticky note that read, "Take out coffee, Queen's cup" followed by a number and a bunch of hearts. He took the note up and examined it closely. Kaien takes out his phone and dials the number on the sticky note.

* * *

"So, I heard you went to a concert last night," Senna approached Rukia who was grinding coffee beans, "with Abarai. I heard you went to a concert with Abarai, like just the two of you alone."

"And this is your business why?"

"No, I was just wondering," Senna moves to the other side of Rukia, looking at her straight in the face, "what exactly is your relationship with Abarai?"

"Manager and I are like family." Rukia took the blended coffee beans and placed it on top of a filter.

"Family? What do you mean family? A guy and a girl can't just hang out like that without romantic feelings."

"I do have feelings for manager, bu-"

"See look! You have feelings for Abarai! You should stay away from Ichi-kun!" Senna shouted to Rukia, pointing a finger at her. Rukia moves Senna's finger away and rolls her eyes.

"I was saying I do have feelings, but my feelings for manager are not romantic. I feel... family love. It's like, a father, or a long lost brother," Rukia sighed as her gaze gets distant, "that I never had."

"I- it's nice to have someone who loves you unconditionally, like family." Senna says turning away from Rukia quickly and heading to clean the table that the last customer left.

"You know. Kuroki-san, you're not as bad as you seem."

"Shut up Kuchiki. Y-you have no right to judge me like that! B-besides you have a band aid on your forehead, how tacky is that?!" Senna turns her back to Rukia quickly, angry, but blushing. Rukia rubs the spot on her forehead.

"Is it that noticeable?" Rukia asked thinking out loud, trying to cover it up with her hair as Senna grabs the porcelain cup and makes her way to the back.

"Hey Kuchiki," Rukia's head shifts her gaze to the smiling Renji as he exits his office.

"Morning manager." she smiles back. Renji laughs quietly as he tries to break the awkwardness.

"Enjoying your morning?"

"Yeah, it's great, waking up at 4 a.m. and making coffee for rich assholes."

"Why you," Renji fakes his angriness and laughs, "stop your sarcasm. It's only 11:00 in the morning and you're already being a butthead, but you got a delivery coming up."

"Anyways, speaking of buttheads, I haven't seen Kusajishi lately. Is she ditching on work again?"

"I hope not," Renji stares at Rukia grinding coffee beans, "y-you know I.. I also kinda have something for you."

"Thank again manager," Rukia bows down, "but this better not be a trick and you better not make you treat you to lunch again."

"Yeah, I promise. Oh here, the address. Coffee's on the coffee counter."

"Ok then. You can give it to me when I return." Rukia laughs. Renji smiles at her reaction and sighs inwardly. She walks to the counter to get the coffee and in walks Ichigo.

"Oh you. Good morning Kurosaki-san." Renji grunted at him, staring at his bruise. Ichigo shielded his bruise and Rukia turned around as their gaze meets. She too shields her band aid bruise. Ichigo was the first to break their staring contest by laughing slightly and Rukia followed by chuckling because of the event that gave them their bruise.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Hey red head, I need to borrow Rukia for a moment."

"Look, don't you see that she has an order?"

"I'll take her." Ichigo grins at Renji. Renji scowled at Ichigo and sighed.

"Kuchiki needs to work for her hours too. She isn't filthy rich like you and she doesn't have free time on her hands. She and I are partners so-"

"Ah-ah you got that wrong," Ichigo lifted a finger to Renji's lips, "Rukia and **I, Kurosaki Ichigo,** are partners." Renji gave him a doubtful look and Ichigo shrugged his shoulders.

"I can hear you guys." Rukia rolled her eyes at the both of them.

"Good, you can follow me out then, right?" Ichigo exited the shop. Rukia bowed down to Renji.

"Sorry. We're kinda like partners in crime, so excuse me." she too, exited the shop.

"Manager is going to be pissed at me again, thank you." Rukia sighed to him as they both walked out and into his car.

"Well, I am promoting you guys." Ichigo starts the engine as she buckles her seat.

"I can easily go myself."

"No you can't, because you have a fever. Am I right?" he smirks as he sees her expression change into a more surprised look.

"I-I.. how'd you know?"

"You see," Ichigo placed a one hand on her forehead as Rukia tries to scoot back, "from far away, you were sweating like crazy. Up close, you are burning up. You shouldn't come to work in this condition."

"Shut up. I'm fine."

"You don't have to push yourself Rukia. I know you're near fainting. Judging by that bruise on your forehead, you probably have a headache too. You need to rest."

"How do you even know this?" Rukia places the back of her hand on her forehead, trying to feel the warmth.

"My dad, he," Ichigo hesitated, "he's a doctor."

"I see, so I bet your family is a long string of doctors and rich people."

"Basically," he looks over to her, "so where to Rukia?"

"Well, I don't really know. Renji wrote down the address, but I have never really been there,"

"Really," he puts one hand in his pocket while the other steers the wheel.

"Ichigo! Are you trying to get us killed or some-"

"Relax you prune," he tossed a white iphone to Rukia's lap, "your first contact is me. Take good care of that phone."

Rukia took the phone and examined the back. Her phone case was white, but in the bottom left corner was a drawing of chappy.

"How'd you know I like chappy? No, how'd you know that my phone was even dead?"

"I called you about 100 times today. Plus your old phone had chappy the rabbit as a cell phone strap, so I figured you must've liked that shitty cartoon." Rukia smacked him on the head.

"Chappy is not a shitty cartoon!"

"H-hey, I have a headache too! I still have my lawyer on speed di-"

"Thank you Ichigo." Rukia interrupted him smiling at the phone. He grins at her expression and looks onto the road ahead.

"Did, did you just say thanks to me?"

"Don't push it Ichigo."

"Y-you're welcome," Ichigo coughed out and Rukia raises an eyebrow at him and scoffs, "what? I said you're welcome didn't I?"

"I didn't think you'd say that."

"What can I say, I'm full of surprises." Rukia rolls her eyes at his response, "Now, I'm going to take you and pamper you up before we go make your deliveries."

"I'm not going to your house."

"I'm the one driving." Rukia gave him a dirty look and he shrugged his shoulders at her.

"I don't care, I'm not gonna go inside your house."

"Suit yourself, because we're already here," he said nonchalantly as they both pulled up to his driveway.

**_No way. This is the house of the address that manager gave me. Why is it Ichigo's house?_** Rukia examined the note closer. **_The numbers match. He must've made a mistake._**

"Do you need glasses too little woman?"

"Shut up," Rukia pushed him slightly as they both exited his car, "by any chance, did you order coffee this morning?"

"Well, I mean, I always start out with ordering coffee."

"No dummy, I meant did you order from Queen's Cup?" Rukia asked, clutching onto the coffee cup holder. Ichigo gave her a confused look as they both walked up to his door.

"If I wanted coffee from Queen's Cup, I would just walk in there. I mean, it's not like I go in there to see you or anything."

"Sure."

"I don't! I have better things to do!" Ichigo shouted at her. Rukia rolled her eyes and stood to the side of him as Ichigo bends down to enter a pin number to open his front door. As he was about to press the two final numbers, the door suddenly thrusts open, hitting Rukia in the face (knocking her out) and Ichigo screaming her name.

"Woah, woah, hey Ichi-bro! I thought you had better things to do? Oh," Kaien looks at the petite girl on the floor besides his cousin, "was that the delivery girl?"

* * *

"Do you think she'll be ok? She's been out cold for a while." Rukia heard a clouded voice ask.

"You freaking blasted the door into her face, what the hell Kaien!" she thought she heard Ichigo's voice cry.

**_C-cayenne?_**

She slowly opened one eye to see the quarreling boys and there before her eyes was Cayenne, the man she had admired from afar.

**_Damn, I'm dreaming. _**She quickly shut her eye and reopened both of them this time.

"Oh, hey she's awake. Hey Ichigo's friend!" Cayenne grinned at her. Rukia's eyes turned as big as saucers.

**_H-he just talked t-to me! This is too good to be real. It's a dream. It must be a dream! _**Rukia started to pinch herself wildly.

"What are you doing Rukia?" Ichigo asked her, raising his eyebrows at her actions.

"W-where am I?"

"Oh, where are my manners? Hello Ichi-bro's friend! I am Kaien or a.k.a Cayenne," he fakes an accent, "they're basically the same thing according to Ichigo."

"Because they are the same thing."

"C-cayenne, like the singer Cayenne?" Rukia asked still disbelieving what is happening. Ichigo scoffs.

"Don't tell me, you're a fan of his." Ichigo crosses his arms and glared at Kaien, then Rukia. Rukia furrows her brows at Ichigo.

"And so what if I am?" she crosses her arms at him and turns away. Kaien starts to laugh and Ichigo rolls his eyes, disgusted.

"Hey, it's nice to know someone is a fan of an old man like me."

"I i-it's such an honor."

"Sorry I made you drop the coffee kid."

"I-it's ok." Rukia blushed furiously as Kaien laughs at her.

"How can someone like her be your friend?" Kaien turned to Ichigo.

"You guys are disgusting. Wait till Miyako sees this." Ichigo scoffs and heads out of the bedroom door.

**_Miyako? Wait wasn't that the girl that-_**

"Yako-chan wouldn't mind anyways! She's a supportive fiancé, and loves all of my fans!"

"Your nicknames for each other disgusts me." Ichigo shouted from the other room he was currently walking to.

**_Wait, if he likes his cousin's girl and Miyako is Cayenne's fiancé, then that means-_**

"C-cayenne-dono, are you Ichigo's cousin?"

"Nice one kid! Does he talk about me?"

"Y-yeah," Rukia thinks of yesterday, Ichigo's hurt face talking about Miyako and his cousin, "in a way?"

"I bet he's talking crap," Kaien laughs out loud, "rest a while will you? I'll go back to Queen's Cup, I think it is, to get more coffee. I heard Ichi say that it was one of the best coffee he has had, so I'm gonna take a chance there." with that being said, Kaien walks out of her bedroom.

"He really is advertising the place." Rukia smirks to herself as she brings her legs to her chest. She got out of the bed and out the door, into his living room. Ichigo was nowhere to be in sight, but that didn't surprise her. His living room alone was as big as her apartment, which is pretty decent sized. She was busy looking around when suddenly the doorbell rang.

**_Cayenne's back already?_**

She opened the door to reveal a lady who looked in her late 20's and absolutely flawless. The lady had side-swept bangs and her hair up in a low bun. She wore a white knee length v-neck dress and pair of nude heels, and although her outfit was plain, her smile dressed up everything.

"Hi," the lady peered over Rukia's shoulder, "is Kai-kun home by any chance?"

"No, he just left not too long before you came. Sorry."

"Oh no, it's ok," the lady smiled at Rukia, "who are you? I haven't seen you before, are you Kai-kun's cousin by any chance?"

**_Wow, she's really pretty._**

"N-no I'm actually ju-"

"Rukia, who are you talking to?" Rukia turned around to see Ichigo approaching them. He looked at the lady over Rukia's shoulder.

"Oh, hey," he exhales, "Miyako."

"Miyako?" Rukia slowly repeated slowly clicking one and one together.

**_Ahh, so this is the woman that they're both falling for. I don't blame them, _**Rukia turned back to Miyako, **_she's absolutely stunning._**

"I guess we meet again."

"He's getting coffee." he tightens his grip onto the door's frame.

"Well, still in sync aren't we? You're not even going to let me inside?"

"I thought you didn't want to see me anymore." his hair shielded his eyes. Miyako smiles cheekily at him.

"Fine, I'll let myself in," she slightly pushes Ichigo and Rukia aside as she steps inside of the house, "Ah, still small. Just like you Ichigo and I didn't come here for you. I came here to see Kai-kun." she turned to the duo and smiles.

"Shall we catch up until Kai-kun arrives?" Miyako causally walks over and sits on Ichigo's couch. Rukia feels the uneasy tension between Miyako and Ichigo.

"Excuse us," Rukia bows to Miyako and takes dragging Ichigo out of the door with her as they ran somewhere.

* * *

"Here," she hands the vanilla ice-cream to Ichigo, who was sitting by the curb of the ice-cream parlor, "I thought you needed a break." with that being said, she takes a lick from her chocolate ice-cream.

"I like chocolate better." he says, eyes still shielded by his hair. Rukia stops licking and trades it with his vanilla.

"Sorry, I took a lick, but I don't think it matters that much. It's just a lick."

"Why'd you do that? I thought you hated me."

"Because whenever you talk about her," Rukia started not daring to say Miyako's name, "you have this... look on your face. It doesn't look like Ichigo. I don't like you, but I also don't like it when you're not Ichigo." Ichigo lets out a"tch".

"You know, I always get misinterpreted by people," Rukia walks over and sits next to him, "when I was younger, I had a crush on this guy. He was my upperclassmen in high school, name was Ashido. I guess it was my innocent love for him that made him take advantage of me. He had always used me for things. My final straw with him was when we did get together, and he cheated on me. He didn't think sweet old Rukia would run his ass over but he was so wrong. I kicked his ass and got my first suspension."

"Things between me and manager," when she had said that, she saw Ichigo perk up, fully engaged in her story, "they always think we're dating or a couple. Truth is, manager has always been there for me, but never as a significant other, but always like family. Someone dear to me had gave him the honor of looking after me, so I had always seen him like a brother, a dad, and a father. Dating him would be so awkward and weird for me."

"In junior high," she looked over to Ichigo, who had scooted closer to her, "things... happened" she thought about the events that day, the sad air of nostalgia filling her lungs, but she wanted to cheer Ichigo up, so she swallowed those emotions, "I... I stopped talking altogether. People had rumors about me, calling me prude, icy, sour, unapproachable. I really wanted to make friends at the time, but I guess, nobody wanted to be friends with me, an unapproachable prude." Rukia smiles sadly as she takes a lick on her semi-melting ice-cream.

"If only I had met you earlier," Rukia looks at Ichigo who was standing up, "I would be the one who approached you and be your friend."

Rukia smiles at Ichigo and also stands up.

"You know you aren't half as bad as I thought you are."

"You aren't the bitch I always thought you are either." Ichigo chuckles. Rukia playfully punches his shoulder.

"H-hey, I'm going to be doing something s-stupid right now." Rukia stuttered, her face, slightly turning red.

"What? It's not like you don't do anything stupid anyways." Ichigo said. Rukia rolled her eyes and stepped closer to him, closing the gap between them and breaking the personal bubble.

"W-what a-are you doing R-rukia?" Ichigo asked and his face going red. Her eyes were shielded by her hair as she reaches in and hugs him, putting her face on his chest.

"R-rukia?" Ichigo asked, struggling as she pulled him in tighter.

"Y-you b-been through a lot too h-haven't you?" Rukia asked muffled because her face was on his chest, "so for right now, let's just forget the troubles for a little bit."

_Kuchiki Rukia, I really wish you haven't hugged me right now._

"Y-yeah," Ichigo said, blushing as he too returned her hug.

_Because now I-_

* * *

**AN*: **Hey guys sorry for the slightly shorter chapter this time. I wanted Rukia to tell her story to Ichigo because he did that in the last chapter. Thanks for your reviews omgahhh cx you guys are so sweet, literally making me scream for joy every time I read them. Here's an omake I wanted to end the chapter with, but I wasn't really satisfied with it so here it is.

* * *

-Omake-

"G-get off me!" Ichigo shouts to Rukia as he pushes her off. Rukia's vein popped from his action.

"I was doing something nice for you!" she shouted at him, scaring away a couple of customers around them. Ichigo pulls his suit for her to see the stain she had left on it.

"What are you going to do about this?"

"Sorry?"

"Sorry can't fix my shirt now can it?"

"H-hey you liked the hug I gave you though!"

"N-no I didn't," Ichigo swiped his blushing face away from her, "you're so short I couldn't even hug you!"

"Oh really? Why'd you close your eyes then?" Rukia gave him a winning smirk. Ichigo jumps back.

"I didn't close my eyes!"

"You're so full of shit Ichigo." Rukia said as she walked away from him.

"Rukia! Stop doing that!" he shouts to her. Rukia ignored him and he inwardly smiled.


	9. AUTHOR'S NOTEAPOLOGY LETTER

**Author's Note: Apology Letter**

Hey guys, my apologies for not updating my story and for using this apology page as an apology page instead of writing my story. I promise I won't give up on it, it's just I have an extreme case of writer's block at the moment and I can't think of anything (Blah, blah, blah excuses,excuses cx). I don't want to just write something to give you guys because I dunno, this is my first fanfic and I wanna be a good writer. I hope you understand. I'm aiming to update before May ends, so let's hope for it!

* * *

**Thank you guys for all of your support: **

Guest1

Guest2

yuiyuki

Guest3

Snowyncess

Fafacute

Ecomadness

halobeast-117

Guest4

ammisame

hunterofcomedy

MugetsuIchigo

IchiRukiFTW

Guest5

Guest6

hirako shinji

GRT

Kei

appleschan

xxtherealbulletxx

Vivienne Iforgot Myname

hekka

SvetlanaSparkle

Feather-pencil

CheezuKe-KiXD

SoraLink

(Sorry if I missed out on you, I want to semi-properly thank anyone who had reviewed my story.)

Thanks guys, I'm so sorry I haven't updated, the guilt monster bit my booty so yeah (-enter more excuses here-). The next time I see you guys will be an update, I'll promise you that much.**~Pickles**


End file.
